US nurses protest against the use of AI in hospitals
Earlier this week, hundreds of nurses gathered at Kaiser Permanente’s San Francisco Medical Center to protest the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare. Organized by the California Nurses Association, the demonstration aimed to highlight concerns that AI technology in hospitals is untested and unregulated, potentially risking patient safety.
Nurses voiced their opposition with signs reading ‘Trust Nurses Not AI’ and chanting “AI has got to go!” The association is advocating for nurses and union members to be involved in the decision-making process for AI deployment at every step.
Michelle Gutierrez Vo, BSN, RN, president of the California Nurses Association, expressed concerns about the use of AI at Kaiser Permanente, emphasizing the importance of preserving patient care over profits. Nurses like Cathy Kennedy, RN, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the necessity of human expertise and clinical judgment in nursing care.
Kaiser Permanente defended their use of AI tools as empowering nurses to provide high-quality care and improve patient outcomes. They assured that AI does not make medical decisions and that human assessment remains central to patient care.
In response to the growing concerns around AI safety, both in the US and the UK, regulatory bodies have taken steps to protect patients while enabling access to innovative technologies. Trust in AI among patients and healthcare staff is expected to improve with the introduction of proper regulations.
