New clinical research network launches for artificial intelligence in nursing

A new clinical research network focusing on artificial intelligence (AI) in nursing will be launched later this year by the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care.

Led by Dr Siobhan O'Connor, the AI-Nurses network will support and enhance engagement between the nursing and AI communities across the United Kingdom by hosting community events, funding pilot research projects, and creating an online repository of educational and other resources on AI in nursing.

The network will leverage the Innovation Scholars programme at King's College London led by Professor Rebecca Oakey. This flexible and free online training programme will help nurses improve their ability to use and apply big data and AI in clinical research while understanding the ethical and legal challenges of AI technologies.

The new clinical research network is led by King's College London in partnership with Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Manchester. It aims to build and connect a community of nurses across the UK who are interested in or actively researching AI in nursing to improve patient care. It will also strengthen professional networks and support new collaborations between nurses, computer/data scientists, and industry to produce nurse-led research on artificial intelligence that supports the delivery of high-quality patient care. More details on the AI-Nurses project can be found here and you can follow it on social media @ai_nurses

We are delighted to receive funding from the Burdett Trust to set up a clinical research network on artificial intelligence (AI) in nursing. We were able to draw on a range of expertise and resources on AI across King's College London to set up the network which will be officially starting later this year. Our initiative will give nurses across the NHS opportunities to learn more about AI, develop their technical knowledge and skills, secure funding for pilot projects on AI in nursing, and network with AI experts from academia to industry. This will help them apply advanced computational techniques to nursing data and research AI-based technologies to improve patient care.

Dr Siobhan O'Connor, Senior Lecturer, Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care

Digitally enabled nurse-led research is one of the five key priorities set out in the CNO- England's strategic plan for research. ACORN (A Centre of Research for Nurses and Midwives) at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust are delighted to be a part of this exciting initiative, providing support and resources to help nurses embed AI to improve patient care. This collaboration further strengthens our existing clinical-academic partnership with King's, supporting the future development of nurse and midwife-led research within Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trustand beyond, in this important area of practice.

Dr Suzanne Bench, Director of Nursing (Research), Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust