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Nowhere is the potential for this more obvious than in education and the use of tools such as ChatGPT. So what do nursing students need to know?

What is ChatGPT?

AI refers to computer systems or machines that can perform tasks that previously have typically required human thought.

It has led to the development of tools such as ChatGPT, which can answer questions on almost any topic by using vast databases of information and generate text that appears to have been created by a human.

Launched in November 2022, ChatGPT marked a huge step forward in chatbot technology, with previous examples including Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa.

The big difference is the ability of ChatGPT to engage in elaborate dialogue and follow-up discussion with its users. After the user types questions or comments, ChatGPT responds within seconds, providing detailed text.

The material can be fine-tuned through further requests from the user and has been found to be good enough to pass university exams and assessments.

What are the weaknesses of ChatGPT?

Like all emerging technologies, ChatGPT has its limitations. It does not always make use of the latest information, and the text it generates can be written in different styles even when asked the same question. Unclear commands or information may be misinterpreted.

It can contain inaccuracies as the information it uses is garnered from a wide range of sources, including those that are poorly referenced or incorrect.

What is more, it represents information developed by others and so there is a risk of plagiarised content and copyright infringement. New iterations of ChatGPT are being released, however, which aim to improve the accuracy and reliability of its sources.

Can nursing students use ChatGPT?

Yes, but it must be used as an aid to learning, rather than as a substitute. Asking it to produce a written assignment, or a part of it, is not appropriate.

The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) issued guidance to universities and colleges at the start of 2023, setting out its concerns for academic integrity if students chose to present AI-generated assignments as their own work, and the steps that should be taken to safeguard against that.

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Updated guidelines published in May took a more proactive approach, with the QAA saying that following ‘considerable reflection’ there was now a desire in the sector to look at how such tools could support learning, while being careful to maintain academic integrity.

This was reinforced by a Department for Education policy paper published last year – although that largely focused on schools and colleges.

The key is that students should be open and transparent about how they are using AI and ChatGPT, says the QAA. It states that the ability to use, check facts from and authenticate information derived from AI software is a key attribute graduates will need for their ‘future employability’. As a nurse, they may find AI useful in a range of circumstances, for example, developing easily accessible information for patients, helping with research and continuing professional development (CPD), and potentially in completing paperwork.

Following the release of this guidance, the Russell Group, which represents 24 of the leading research universities, published a new set of principles to help students and staff capitalise on the opportunities presented by technology such as ChatGPT. These suggest students and educators should embrace AI and universities develop a culture of open discussions about AI.

5 ways you could use ChatGPT in assignments

Online academic support service Scribbr recommends five ways to use ChatGPT – although it says university guidance, if in place, should take precedence:

• » Writing a research question Help narrow down a topic by asking ChatGPT to write three possible research questions

• » Developing an outline Once you have decided on the research question, ChatGPT can help keep you on track by giving a clear idea of what topics you want to discuss and in what order

• » Finding source recommendations Be sure to track them down to check that they are credible

• » Summarising and paraphrasing text During writing you can use the summarising tool to condense your text to its essential ideas or to paraphrase in clear, accessible language

• » Getting feedback Once you have written your essay, you can prompt ChatGPT to provide feedback and recommend improvements

Source: Scribbr tinyurl.com/scribbr-chatgpt

What changes might be seen in nurse education?

Sheffield Hallam University senior lecturer in nursing and digital lead Leisa Anderton says: ‘When ChatGPT was first launched I think there was a lot of fear and the knee-jerk reaction was to try to ban it. The technology developed so quickly, it was difficult to keep up.

‘But we now recognise in education, and also in healthcare more widely, that it has huge potential. There are risks too, but we need to mitigate them.’

She says, given the pace the technology is evolving at, it will soon be nearly impossible to tell if students are doing assignments via AI.

‘There is an argument for introducing oral assessments alongside written assessments to make sure students have done the work. But it is the benefits that we need to embrace. I think in time we will adapt, and this will just become something we use in our work, in our learning and in our daily lives.

‘It will be there in the background – just as things like spellcheck and smart phones are.’

How are nursing course providers responding to AI?

It is still a mixed picture, with some centres, but not all, encouraging students to make use of AI technologies.

The focus is largely on its ability to aid research, much as search engines can, by asking ChatGPT to summarise and find information or produce notes.

In some places staff are even receiving training encouraging them to use AI by developing study guides and course materials and test questions.

Northumbria University head of nursing, midwifery and health Debbie Porteous, a member of the RCN education forum, says her university has adopted the Russell Group principles and is providing training sessions for academic staff.

She says the field has developed ‘rapidly’ in recent months but it is essential to remember the results are ‘only as good as the training data and the algorithms performed on them’.

‘It is important you learn to use them in an ethical, responsible and professional manner,’ says Professor Porteous.

Fellow RCN education forum member Rachael Major says AI technologies can be particularly helpful for students who may struggle at times with the phrasing of their work. This includes neurodiverse and international students; a recent report looking at how students are using AI, conducted by Jisc, which provides digital support to universities, highlighted this very use.

But Dr Major says not all universities are as proactive as those following the Russell Group principles. ‘In some places, current guidance is that the use of AI may infringe university regulations, which makes students nervous,’ she says.

‘I am even aware of assessments being changed to ensure that even if AI is used, the assessment methods demonstrate student understanding – for example adding oral examinations in addition to essays.’

What does the Nursing and Midwifery Council say about AI use by students?

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) says whether AI tools are suitable for use by students in their nursing programmes is a matter for universities and education providers.

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It says what matters from the regulator’s perspective is that those providers give the NMC the necessary assurances that their graduates have the ‘right knowledge and skills to deliver safe, effective and kind care’.

But it also recognises it is important that nursing students became AI-literate.

‘Our standards are clear that future professionals must have the digital and technological skills to meet people’s health and care needs,’ says NMC assistant director of professional practice Anne Trotter.

‘It’s important that students are prepared for and understand the way in which rapidly evolving digital technologies are increasingly influencing the future delivery of services and the potential they can bring to people’s health and well-being.’