The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in health professions education, particularly in nursing, has significantly transformed traditional models of learning and assessment. AI-driven systems capable of generating academic text, summarizing evidence, and analyzing clinical scenarios are increasingly integrated into students’ daily academic activities. While these technologies offer substantial opportunities for enhanced access to information and learning efficiency, their unregulated use raises critical ethical and educational concerns. The core issue is no longer whether AI should be used, but how it should be ethically governed within nursing education.
This analytical letter examines the ethical implications of AI integration across three domains: academic integrity and hidden forms of misconduct, erosion of critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills, and cognitive overreliance on algorithmic outputs. Additional concerns include algorithmic bias, professional accountability for AI-generated inaccuracies, and inequitable access to advanced technological tools. The absence of clear institutional policies and structured guidance in nursing schools has created a regulatory vacuum, increasing the risk of inconsistent practices and compromised educational standards.
In response, this paper advocates for the development of an “Educational AI Governance Framework” tailored to nursing education. Key components include structured AI literacy training, redesign of assessment strategies to prioritize reasoning processes over written products, faculty development initiatives, mandatory transparency in AI-assisted assignments, and systematic monitoring of AI’s impact on learning outcomes. Ethical governance, rather than prohibition or passive acceptance, is presented as the most sustainable strategy. Proactive and principled regulation of AI in nursing education is essential to preserve professional identity formation, maintain academic integrity, and safeguard future patient safety within healthcare systems.