Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming healthcare delivery and nursing education by supporting clinical decision-making, documentation, risk prediction, personalized learning, simulation, assessment, and administrative processes. The increasing availability of generative AI and large language models has further expanded opportunities for nurses and nursing students while introducing concerns related to accuracy, privacy, bias, academic integrity, accountability, and professional autonomy. This review examines contemporary applications of AI in nursing education and clinical practice, evaluates its potential benefits and limitations, and discusses ethical, educational, professional, and implementation considerations. A structured narrative literature search was undertaken using major biomedical and nursing databases and relevant authoritative sources, with emphasis on recent literature and evidence concerning nursing-specific applications. Current evidence indicates that AI can support learning, clinical reasoning, documentation, patient monitoring, decision support, workflow efficiency, and personalized education; however, evidence from real-world nursing settings remains less mature than technological development. Responsible integration requires AI literacy, faculty and workforce development, human oversight, transparent governance, protection of patient data, and continuous evaluation. AI should complement rather than replace nursing judgment, therapeutic relationships, and professional accountability.
Background:Hand hygiene is a simple, cost-effective, and highly efficient measure for preventing infectious diseases, especially among children. Despite its proven importance, hand washing practices remain suboptimal, contributing to the burden of preventable infections. This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a Structured Teaching Program (STP) on knowledge and practice regarding hand washing among primary school children.Methods: Aquantitative evaluative approach with a pre-experimental one-group pre-test post-test design was adopted. The study was conducted among 80 primary school children aged 7–11 years in selected schools of Udaipur, Rajasthan, using purposive sampling. Data were collected using a validated self-structured questionnaire covering socio-demographic variables, knowledge (15 MCQs), and practice (9 checklist items). A STP was implemented between pre-test and post-test. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including paired t-test and correlation analysis.Results: Post-intervention findings showed a significant improvement in both knowledge and practice regarding hand washing. In the post-test, 55% of children had adequate knowledge compared to none in the pre-test, and 70% demonstrated adequate practice compared to none in the pre-test. The mean knowledge score increased from 14.8 to 23.9, and the mean practice score increased from 8.8 to 15.3, both statistically significant (P < 0.05). A low positive correlation (r = 0.1748) was found between post-test knowledge and practice.
Pain management is a critical component of medical-surgical nursing, directly influencing patient outcomes, recovery, and quality of care. This comprehensive review explores the classification, physiology, and pathophysiology of pain, emphasizing its relevance in postoperative and chronic conditions. It highlights evidence-based pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies, including multimodal analgesia and cognitive-behavioral interventions. Accurate pain assessment, patient education, and interdisciplinary collaboration are central to effective nursing practice. Special attention is given to managing pain in vulnerable populations such as the elderly, children, and patients with chronic or cancer-related pain. The review also addresses barriers to optimal pain control and recent advancements such as Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols and digital therapeutics. Nurses, as frontline caregivers, play a vital role in assessing, managing, and advocating for holistic, patient-centered pain relief in diverse clinical settings.
Understanding patient behavior is a foundational component of effective nursing practice. This review explores the psychological, biological, sociocultural, and environmental factors influencing patient behavior and highlights how these factors impact care delivery, treatment adherence, and patient outcomes. Key psychological frameworks, such as Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages, and the Health Belief Model, provide insight into patient motivations and reactions. The article also examines how behaviors—ranging from cooperative participation to non-compliance, aggression, or withdrawal—manifest in clinical settings. Special considerations for pediatric, geriatric, and psychiatric populations are addressed, emphasizing the need for age-specific and condition-sensitive approaches. Nurses play a crucial role in assessing behavior through observation, communication, and use of behavioral tools. Strategies such as therapeutic communication, de-escalation, behavior reinforcement, and patient education are discussed to support individualized, culturally competent care. The review concludes with recommendations for enhanced nurse training, interprofessional collaboration, and the development of behavior-focused care plans to improve safety, satisfaction, and patient outcomes.
Emotional well-being is a multidimensional construct essential to mental health, encompassing the ability to recognize, manage, and express emotions while maintaining resilience and a positive life outlook. This review explores the significance of emotional well-being within psychiatric nursing, highlighting its core components—self-awareness, self-regulation, resilience, and optimism—and the biological, psychological, and social factors influencing it. Psychiatric nurses play a pivotal role in promoting emotional well-being through therapeutic communication, psychoeducation, assessment, and interventions such as mindfulness, cognitive-behavioral support, and crisis management. The review also addresses common psychiatric disorders impacting emotional health and emphasizes the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration, family involvement, and addressing challenges like stigma and burnout. Emerging trends, including trauma-informed care and technology-based interventions, are discussed to enhance nursing practice. This overview underscores the necessity of integrating emotional well-being into psychiatric nursing education and clinical care to improve patient outcomes and foster holistic mental health recovery.
