Researchers from the Fisabio Foundation and the Universitat Jaume I of Castelló have analysed the potential of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) to transform nursing research and have developed a set of ten recommendations to promote the responsible use of these tools in the scientific field.
Published in the journal Enfermería Clínica, the study examines how generative artificial intelligence can support different stages of the research process, from formulating research questions to conducting literature reviews, analysing information and disseminating results.
The research was carried out by members of the Nursing Research Group at the Universitat Jaume I (GIENF-241) and the eNURSYS group at Fisabio, part of the La Plana Health Department, within the framework of the NURSIA Joint Research Unit (NURSing care, Information systems, technology and quAlity). This unit focuses on areas such as information systems, technologies applied to care delivery and the evaluation of nursing care quality.
The authors highlight that these tools offer significant opportunities to improve the efficiency of certain research tasks. However, they also stress that their use raises methodological, ethical and scientific challenges that must be taken into account.
The study points out that generative AI systems can produce seemingly rigorous texts that contain errors, non-existent references or inaccurate interpretations. This phenomenon, known as “hallucination”, makes it essential to review and verify all AI-generated information before incorporating it into scientific work.
In addition, the researchers warn of the risk of automatically accepting the responses generated by these systems without subjecting them to critical analysis, a tendency that may compromise the quality and reliability of research.
A particularly relevant challenge for nursing research
The authors argue that these risks take on a particular dimension in nursing research, where much of the knowledge is built through qualitative methodologies and highly contextualised phenomena.
In such cases, artificial intelligence may generate coherent summaries or plausible interpretations that nevertheless oversimplify the complexity of patients’ and professionals’ experiences or overlook fundamental dimensions of care, such as the therapeutic relationship, its social context or the associated social determinants of health.
The article also warns that AI models may reproduce biases present in mainstream scientific production and prioritise biomedical approaches and English-language literature over perspectives specific to the nursing discipline or to certain cultural contexts.
Beyond practical applications, the study places the debate within the broader framework of research governance and emphasises that the use of artificial intelligence must comply with the principles of transparency and accountability, as well as with data protection regulations established by international organisations and the new European Artificial Intelligence Act.
Ten recommendations for responsible integration
As its main practical contribution, the study presents a set of ten recommendations for nursing researchers that summarise the key principles for the responsible use of generative artificial intelligence. These include using AI only when it provides added value to human work, systematically verifying all information generated by these systems, avoiding the introduction of sensitive data, preserving the context and complexity of the phenomena under study, transparently documenting the use of these tools, and continuously assessing their impact on scientific quality.
Ultimately, the study serves as a guide to the responsible integration of artificial intelligence into research practice rather than an updated review of its applications. It is a proposal that focuses on researchers’ ability to use these technologies without compromisingthe methodological and ethical rigour, or the critical thinking, that underpin nursing research.
Article
M.J. Valero-Chillerón, I. Llagostera-Reverter, D. Luna-Aleixos & V.M. González-Chordá. «Investigación en cuidados elevada a la IAgésima potencia: inteligencia artificial generativa aplicada al proceso de investigación en cuidados», Enfermería Clínica, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enfcli.2026.502553
Enfermería Clínica
Meta-analysis
Not applicable
Investigación en cuidados elevada a la IAgésima potencia: inteligencia artificial generativa aplicada al proceso de investigación en cuidados
1-Jun-2026