Symptom assessment experience of novice nurses based on artificial intelligence standardized patients: a qualitative study

Artificial intelligence standardized patient (AISP)-based symptom assessment training has emerged as a promising approach to complement clinical nursing education. However, little is known about how novice nurses experience such training, and qualitative evidence is needed to inform the design of training that supports their clinical development. To explore novice nurses’ experiences and perceptions of an Artificial Intelligence Standardized Patient (AISP) symptom assessment training system, and to provide evidence for optimizing the system design. A qualitative exploratory design was used. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 17 novice nurses who had used the AISP system at a tertiary grade A general hospital in Beijing. Three semi-structured focus group interviews (five to six participants each) were conducted in January 2026. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis, with two researchers coding independently. The study was reported in accordance with the COREQ checklist. Participants had a mean age of 24 years, and all held a bachelor’s degree or above. Three themes and eight subthemes were developed: participants perceived a favorable user experience with the AISP system (a pocket-sized inquiry coach: convenience and accessibility; an immersive inquiry partner: scenario authenticity and sense of engagement; a personalized review mentor: real-time and structured feedback); perceived learning value of AISP for symptom assessment (perceived role of structured guidance in organizing inquiry logic; perceived opportunities for communication practice through immersive interaction); and participants’ perceived limitations and optimization suggestions for the AISP system (insufficient coverage of diverse scenarios; limited flexibility of voice interaction; demands for functional iteration of the evaluation mechanism). Positive accounts were often qualified by concerns about speech recognition and the rigidity of interaction. Participants perceived the AISP system as a useful auxiliary tool for supporting symptom-assessment learning, while identifying limitations in scenario diversity, voice interaction, and feedback functions. These findings reflect subjective perceptions rather than demonstrated educational effectiveness. Future development should focus on improving interaction technologies, enriching training scenarios, and refining feedback mechanisms, and future studies should evaluate learning outcomes using objective measures. Not applicable.