Navigating artificial intelligence in home healthcare: challenges and opportunities in nursing wound care.

BACKGROUND

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly introduced into healthcare, promising improved efficiency and clinical decision-making. While research has mainly focused on AI in hospital settings and physician perspectives, less is known about how AI may challenge the values that guide nursing practices. This study explores nurses' perceptions of wound care in municipal home healthcare and the opportunities and challenges with the integration of AI technologies into their practices.

METHODS

An exploratory qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was conducted with 14 registered nurses from two municipalities in Sweden. Participants were recruited through purposive sampling, and data were collected through individual interviews, either in person or via video call. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed inductively, inspired by the Gioia methodology. This approach allowed themes to emerge from the data while maintaining close alignment with participants' perspectives. In a subsequent phase, the data were interpreted through the lens of Mol's Logic of Care to deepen understanding of the relational, embodied, and adaptive nature of wound care. Ethical approval was obtained, and the study adhered to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ).

RESULTS

Three interconnected dimensions emerged from the data: relational, embodied, and adaptive practices. Nurses emphasized the importance of relational work in wound care, highlighting the trust and continuity necessary for effective wound care, which AI-driven automation might overlook. Embodied practices, such as sensory engagement through touch, sight, and smell, were central to wound care, raising nurses' concerns about AI's ability to replicate these nuanced judgments. Adaptive practices, including improvisation and situational awareness in non-standardized home environments, were presented as challenges for AI integration, as existing digital systems were perceived as rigid and often increased administrative burdens rather than streamlining care.

CONCLUSIONS

Home healthcare nurses' perspectives highlight the complex interplay between technology and caregiving. While AI could support documentation and diagnostic processes, its current limitations in relational, sensory, and adaptive aspects raised the nurses' concerns about its suitability for wound care in home settings. Successful AI integration should account for the realities of nursing practice, ensuring that technological tools enhance the embodied, relational, and adaptive dimensions of wound care. Applying Mol's Logic of Care helps illuminate how good care emerges through ongoing, situated practices that resist full automation. Future research could further explore how AI aligns with professional nursing values and decision-making in real-world care settings.

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER

Not applicable.