Artificial Intelligence and Cardiovascular Nursing

The intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and cardiovascular disease provides a promising opportunity to address the world’s leading cause of morbidity and mortality and provide effective support for clinical practice. However, this new frontier requires thoughtful implementation that complements the well-documented benefits of the nurse-patient relationship.

Artificial Intelligence: Opportunity for Positive Transformations in Cardiovascular Disease Management

The field of AI continues to evolve rapidly, as does its integration into cardiovascular disease (CVD) diagnosis and management. Cardiovascular nurses have the opportunity to be leaders in the thoughtful utilization of AI to help lead to improved patient outcomes, while simultaneously reducing administrative burdens.

Using AI tools in clinical workflows can lead to improved accuracy in diagnosis and predictions, workflow optimization, and aid in supporting real-time clinical decisions. By automating repetitive tasks and reducing time spent on administrative responsibilities such as documentation, AI allows nurses to focus on working at the top of their license, and can support better care delivery, improved outcomes, and an increasingly safe, efficient healthcare system.

Nurses report a series of workplace challenges that may limit their effectiveness: increasing patient loads, time constraints, growing disease complexity in patients, staffing levels, and burgeoning administrative tasks. Utilizing and leveraging AI can reduce these challenges and support healthcare professionals and patients, including the three examples below.

AI Utilization: Data Documentation

Tools such AI-powered voice recognition, and electronic records interfaces can help reduce errors and increase accuracy through:

• Automatically inputting patient data
• Chart updates
• Reminders for assessments
• Transcription and analysis of clinical notes

AI Utilization: Patient Monitoring

AI utilization in patient monitoring systems allows for more thorough data collection and review and can lead to a reduction in alarms.

• Remote monitoring of wearable or implantable devices
  • Detection of abnormalities in rhythms or vital signs in real time, sending alerts to healthcare team members
  • Anticipating changes in patient status, even before symptoms worsen
• Acute care ventilation monitoring
  • Reduction in false alarms
  • Improved response times and accurate notifications

AI Utilization: Risk Stratification

AI-driven diagnostic tools consistently demonstrate a high level of accuracy and can support clinical decision-making.² Using AI to help in decision-making can lead to earlier identification of disease progression, additional data for consideration, and identify potential issues before symptoms even occur.

• AI-driven ECG analysis can identify condition probability, leading to early detection and treatment³
• AI review of electronic medical records can identify hypertension risk3

Considerations for the Use of AI in Cardiovascular Settings

While AI provides great promise in helping to improve healthcare, and the daily actions of nurses and patients, there are some considerations and potential barriers to its use.

1. Safety and Security – Ensuring that security of patient and organizational data is of utmost importance, including encryption systems, patient consent, and adherence to standards at the institutional level and beyond.
2. Data Integrity and Recognition of Limitations – Large data sets are the basis for AI, and it is important to ensure that data is accurate and does not incorporate or amplify biases. It is also beneficial to understand how decision trees, such as algorithms, reach conclusions and what biases may exist.
3. Effective Integration – Effective integration of AI into existing healthcare workflows and processes requires a commitment to interoperability, commitment to change, and ongoing reviews and upgrades.
4. Nurse Engagement – Ongoing training and engagement with AI tools, systems, and processes ensures that everyone on the healthcare team has a thorough understanding of AI concepts, use cases, and requirements, can review concerns, and identify how best to apply AI in practice. Nurses in particular can aid patients in understanding how AI is used and what it means for their diagnosis and treatment.
5. Complementing Rather Than Competing with Human Intelligence – AI is not a stand-alone tool but requires human engagement to be effective. AI outputs, for example, should have human oversight to ensure that generated findings are accurate, and do not contribute to health disparities.

The thoughtful use of artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance accuracy, support decision-making, and reduce the amount of administrative time spent by healthcare professionals. This is promising for improved patient outcomes and reduced CVD-related morbidity and mortality.

Find expanded information about the intersection of AI and cardiovascular nursing in this recent article in the Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing: Role of AI in Advancing Clinical Care in Cardiovascular Nursing.¹