A $5 million initiative aims to train rural nurses in AI technology while strengthening the nursing workforce and improving patient outcomes.WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD NEWS) — As rural communities continue to face nurse shortages and limited healthcare resources, a new $5 million initiative is looking to help nurses harness artificial intelligence in patient care.
The three-year grant, sponsored by Google and Johnson & Johnson, will provide professional development and educational resources to nurses working in rural and underserved communities.
Brad Goettl with the American Nurses Enterprise joined us on Friday’s Market Day Report to share more about the program’s goal is to give nurses the training and tools they need to understand and implement AI in their everyday work.
The initiative will offer webinars, toolkits, and other professional development resources focused on the use of AI in rural healthcare settings.
Bringing Rural Nurses Into the AI Conversation
In his interview with RFD News, Goettl explained that rural nurses face a different set of challenges than their counterparts in larger, urban healthcare systems.
Nurses may travel long distances to work, while patients can also face significant travel times to access care. AI-enabled tools could help reduce some of the workload and cognitive burden facing rural nurses, potentially helping address burnout.
AI is already being used in healthcare in several ways. Goettl says nurses can use technology for clinical decision support, helping identify changes in a patient’s condition more quickly and assisting with documentation.
The technology can also help nurses communicate more effectively with patients while reducing the amount of time spent completing administrative tasks.
Training Designed Around Rural Needs
The three-year initiative is still getting started, with educational courses expected to be developed based on an analysis of the specific gaps facing rural nurses.
Goettl says the organization plans to work directly with nurses in rural communities and establish an advisory committee to help guide the program.
The goal is to make sure the training addresses challenges that individual rural clinics, federally qualified health centers and hospitals may not have the resources to address on their own.
By developing and scaling professional development resources, organizers hope to make AI education more accessible to nurses in communities where technology and training opportunities may be limited.
Keeping Nurses at the Table
Goettl says nurses need to have a voice in how AI is selected and implemented because they are closest to the day-to-day delivery of patient care.
While nurses may not be technology experts, they will be among the people using these tools every day. Their perspective can also help healthcare organizations address issues such as data privacy, bias and health equity.
The initiative is ultimately designed to use AI as a tool to support—not replace—the human side of nursing.
Goettl says AI could give nurses more time to spend directly with patients, allowing for more personal conversations and stronger connections with patients and their families.
For rural communities already navigating workforce shortages and limited resources, supporters say that combination of technology and human care could help improve both the nursing workforce and patient outcomes.
