Essential competencies of nurses working with AI-driven lifestyle monitoring in long-term care: A modified Delphi study.

Background: As more and more older adults prefer to stay in their homes as they age, there's a need for technology to support this. A relevant technology is Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven lifestyle monitoring, utilizing data from sensors placed in the home. This technology is not intended to replace nurses but to serve as a support tool. Understanding the specific competencies that nurses require to effectively use it is crucial. The aim of this study is to identify the essential competencies nurses require to work with AI-driven lifestyle monitoring in long-term care.

Methods: A three round modified Delphi study was conducted, consisting of two online questionnaires and one focus group. A group of 48 experts participated in the study: nurses, innovators, developers, researchers, managers and educators. In the first two rounds experts assessed clarity and relevance on a proposed list of competencies, with the opportunity to provide suggestions for adjustments or inclusion of new competencies. In the third round the items without consensus were bespoken in a focus group.

Findings: After the first round consensus was reached on relevance and clarity on n = 46 (72 %) of the competencies, after the second round on n = 54 (83 %) of the competencies. After the third round a final list of 10 competency domains and 61 sub-competencies was finalized. The 10 competency domains are: Fundamentals of AI, Participation in AI design, Patient-centered needs assessment, Personalisation of AI to patients' situation, Data reporting, Interpretation of AI output, Integration of AI output into clinical practice, Communication about AI use, Implementation of AI and Evaluation of AI use. These competencies span from basic understanding of AI-driven lifestyle monitoring, to being able to integrate it in daily work, being able to evaluate it and communicate its use to other stakeholders, including patients and informal caregivers.

Conclusion: Our study introduces a novel framework highlighting the (sub)competencies, required for nurses to work with AI-driven lifestyle monitoring in long-term care. These findings provide a foundation for developing initial educational programs and lifelong learning activities for nurses in this evolving field. Moreover, the importance that experts attach to AI competencies calls for a broader discussion about a potential shift in nursing responsibilities and tasks as healthcare becomes increasingly technologically advanced and data-driven, possibly leading to new roles within nursing.