JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

As artificial intelligence (AI) technology permeates healthcare settings, nurse leaders must position themselves to shape its development, implementation, and impact, guiding meaningful change that benefits nurses and care delivery. Nurse leaders possess the capacity to influence decisions, shape practice, and ensure the delivery of ethical, safe, and high-quality care. While AI technology is poised to reshape many aspects of healthcare delivery, there is limited knowledge on how nurse leaders perceive and experience this shift.

Objective:

The objective of this scoping review was to explore the intersection of nursing leadership and AI technology in healthcare by mapping current evidence, identifying key concepts, and highlighting knowledge gaps within the literature.

Methods:

This scoping review was guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and followed the PRISMA-Scr checklist. A systematic search of five electronic databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and Scopus) was conducted for English-language, peer-reviewed literature published between 2014 and 2024. Grey literature was also reviewed. Articles were included if they explored nurse leadership and AI technology within healthcare settings and met the inclusion criteria. The search was replicated in 2025 to expand the review by 12 months to include the most recent publications. A total of 26 articles were included. Qualitative content analysis and numerical summary supported the inductive identification and synthesis of data categories.

Results:

Of the 26 included studies, 14 were identified in the initial review and 12 in the update. Earlier studies focused primarily on conceptual, theoretical, and opinion-based perspectives. More recent publications reflected a growing presence of empirical research. However, there remains a noticeable absence of Canadian empirical research. The qualitative content analysis of the primary search revealed six overarching data categories: (1) leading digital transformation and technology integration; (2) AI technology and the nursing role: reshaping practice; (3) ethical considerations of AI technology for nurse leaders; (4) AI technology as a facilitator of innovative leadership; (5) education and training on AI technology in nursing practice; and (6) influence of AI technology on the work environment.

Conclusions:

This review confirms that nurse leaders play an essential role in shaping the future of healthcare in the context of AI technology. Although this review highlights a growing recognition of nursing leadership as a crucial driver of AI technology integration in healthcare, there is a lack of research to guide practice, policy, and leadership development through education despite emerging interest and a recent uptick in empirical work. The findings underscore the need for increased investment in nurse-led research and leadership development to ensure that AI systems are designed, implemented, and evaluated in a manner that upholds ethical care, equity, and professional nursing values. As healthcare systems increasingly adopt AI technology, nurse leaders must be equipped with the knowledge, tools, and support required to lead transformative change and act as AI technology directors. Clinical Trial: Not registered