Qualitative analysis finds AI-generated empathic responses improve therapeutic communication in nursing education, highlighting the need for faculty training.
Background: The educational experiences of current nursing students, shaped by unprecedented access to advanced technologies, have made face-to-face communication and therapeutic relationship-building more challenging. Purpose: This qualitative study evaluated the effectiveness, usability, and trustworthiness of a generative AI tool in helping nursing students improve communication in emotionally intense situations. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were used for this two-group design comparing nursing students’ perceptions of AI-generated empathic responses to clinical vignettes of psychosocial and behavioral health challenges commonly encountered in acute care nursing practice. Results: Qualitative analysis identified 4 categories (emotional appropriateness, clinical safety, practical utility, and transparency) demonstrating AI’s opportunity and challenge for therapeutic communication skill development. Conclusion: This study demonstrates AI’s potential to support therapeutic communication practices and the critical appraisal of AI-generated responses in nursing education, although its effective integration requires faculty training and oversight to maximize pedagogical value.
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Nelson et al. (2025) studied this question.
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