Nurses protest use of AI in the workplace

Nurses are fighting back against artificial intelligence in their place of work. On Thursday, nurses took to the streets to protest.

Nurses in Port Charlotte held signs that read, “Our patients, our union, our rights.” They said the use of AI limits nurses’ ability to do their jobs effectively.

Hospitals in Southwest Florida are integrating artificial intelligence into their daily operations.

Fawcett Hospital in Port Charlotte is just one of those locations. However, some nurses are not happy about it.

They are worried about the impacts of AI, especially with patient care.

Valerie Jean is a float pool registered nurse at Fawcett Hospital. She said that AI makes the job more difficult.

“AI, it’s just like tunnel vision,” said Jean. “It limits the nurse’s ability to do their job effectively.”

Jean explained how AI almost negatively affected a patient.

“Everything looked good on paper, but when you saw him physically at the bedside, he didn’t look good, so that’s why we need the human touch in the hospital,” said Jean.

Jean said human connection is one of the most important parts of her job, interacting with patients, not generating data.

“Everyone is different, and the AI is just generating one single picture of one person,” said Jean.

Jean added that nurses aren’t against AI, but there should be limitations.

“It’s okay to deliver food, but it’s not okay to use a robot to save a person’s life. It’s just not the same.”

Leandro de Castro, a professor and expert at Florida Gulf Coast University talked about AI playing a role in hospitals. He said it’s a very demanding career, and it’s all about balance.

“The machine can be a very good assistant for the nurses, and I also believe that they have to participate in the process of developing and implementing this solution in the hospital.”

For now, nurses will be waiting for solutions that prioritize quality patient care.