The American Nurses Association (ANA) is advocating for nurse-led guardrails for the use of artificial intelligence, ANA said in a press release on Tuesday, May 5.
The move comes amid concerns of bias, unclear accountability, and a decline in professional judgment. As AI technology is increasingly used in daily nursing tasks, guardrails provide safety, security, and ethical frameworks, including codes, policies, and processes, that keep AI outputs — especially Generative AI — within authorized boundaries.
Advocating, Collaborating
Earlier last month, the ANA hosted an invitation-only “AI in Nursing Practice Think Tank” for nursing leaders to discuss how AI is affecting the profession and what safety protocols should be implemented.
According to a consensus summary, nursing leaders identified five areas of concern:
- Erosion of professional judgment and critical thinking: “Poorly designed or rapidly deployed tools may diminish nurses’ ability to see the whole patient, question outputs and exercise professional reasoning.” They also voiced worries about overreliance and automation bias.
- Unclear accountability and liability: Nursing leaders are concerned about responsibility for care decisions when AI tools influence them. A common concern was fear of licensure exposure.
- Bias that undermines equity and trust: Patient safety could be at risk if AI tools exhibit algorithmic bias or rely on incorrect data, leaders said.
- Cognitive burden and workflow harm: Even if an AI is designed to alleviate workload, a poor rollout can negatively affect cognitive burden.
- Lack of nursing-specific governance and standards: Most AI frameworks do not specify nursing and are not applicable to bedside practice, education, or decision-making.
“Artificial intelligence is already shaping nursing work in critical ways,” said Brad Goettl, DNP, DHA, APRN, FAAN, FACHE, Chief Nursing Officer of the American Nurses Enterprise. “The profession is at a pivotal moment that requires deliberate, nurse-led action to protect patient safety, ensure nurse well-being, and sustain public trust. We are excited by the clear, immediate actions that have emerged from the Think Tank that will define how the organization moves forward in putting the nurse voice at the center of AI and patient care.”
The ANA represents more than 5 million U.S. nurses. Its May 5 report recommended five action items to address these concerns:
- Issuing clear, nurse-led guardrails
- Curating a nursing AI playbook
- Advancing AI literacy and competence
- Strengthening policy and regulatory advocacy
- Sustaining robust cross-sector collaboration
Download the consensus summary here: Artificial Intelligence in Nursing Practice: Consensus Findings from the ANA AI in Nursing Practice Think Tank.
Key Usage Examples of AI Guardrails
✔️Hallucination Control: Ensuring the model provides answers only grounded in verifiable data sources, preventing misinformation.
✔️Prompt Filtering: Inspecting user inputs for jailbreak attempts or malicious queries before they reach the model.
✔️Content Moderation: Blocking toxic language, hate speech, or inappropriate content in AI responses.
✔️PII Sanitization: Detecting and redacting personal identifying information (like Social Security numbers or email addresses) to protect privacy.
✔️Brand Alignment: Ensuring AI outputs adhere to a company’s specific brand voice and policy guidelines.
For More Information
- AONL Foundation: Held a 2025 think tank focused on “AI and Nurse Leaders: Learning Together,” producing a white paper on AI use cases.
- Nursing AI Leadership Collaborative (NAIL): Focuses on embedding nursing expertise in AI technology development.
For more detailed information, read the American Nurses Association’s consensus summary here.
National Nurses Week May 6-12
During National Nurses Week, the sky is going red. In the Meadowlands area, One World Trade Center in New York City will be illuminated and visible from many spots in South Bergen County.
Earlier this year, Congress made it official: a bipartisan proclamation declared 2026 The Year of the Power of Nurses, recognizing the nursing profession’s extraordinary contributions to American healthcare and communities nationwide.
The American Nurses Enterprise has announced that more than 200 iconic landmarks around the world will be illuminated in red beginning May 6 in honor of The Power of Nurses — the theme for National Nurses Week 2026, which runs from May 6 through May 12. It is the largest lighting activation in the event’s history, and it comes during a year that carries more weight than most.
For Nurses Week 2026 (May 6–12), the prominent color palette features bluish-purple and rosy pink, often utilized to signify global health and appreciation. Additionally, reflecting the 250th anniversary of the U.S. and the official “The Power of Nurses™” theme, red, white, and blue.
This year, ANA celebrates its 130th anniversary. Last year, American Nurses Enterprise illuminated 206 buildings in honor of nurses during National Nurses Week. This year we’re planning to light up more – and you can help! If you have suggestions for buildings, landmarks, monuments, and/or healthcare hubs in your state, please let us know by emailing us at NursesWeek@ana.org.