In a move that signals a significant shift in healthcare education, Carleton University’s School of Nursing announced yesterday the integration of artificial intelligence training into its core curriculum. This pioneering approach aims to prepare nursing students for a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape where AI technologies are becoming increasingly prevalent.
“We’re not just preparing students for the healthcare environment of today, but for the one they’ll encounter five and ten years from now,” explained Dr. Sandra Wood, Director of Carleton’s School of Nursing, during the announcement at the Health Sciences Building.
The new curriculum components will introduce nursing students to AI applications in patient care, electronic health records management, and clinical decision support systems. Students will learn how these technologies can enhance patient outcomes while also exploring the ethical considerations surrounding AI in healthcare settings.
Ottawa Hospital’s Chief Nursing Executive, Patricia Thomson, who attended the announcement, expressed strong support for the initiative. “The nurses we hire need to be comfortable with emerging technologies. This program ensures Carleton graduates will arrive with those skills already in place.”
According to the Canadian Nurses Association, approximately 77% of nurses report encountering AI tools in their workplace, yet only 23% feel adequately prepared to use them effectively. Carleton’s curriculum update directly addresses this skills gap.
Third-year nursing student Jamal Hassan shared his enthusiasm about the changes. “We’ve been asking for more technology training. AI is already in the hospitals where we do our clinical placements, so learning about it now will definitely give us an advantage.”
The curriculum revision includes collaborative learning modules developed with Carleton’s School of Computer Science and the university’s recently established Institute for Data Science and Society. This interdisciplinary approach ensures nursing students receive instruction from experts in both healthcare and technology fields.
Dr. Michael Chen, AI healthcare researcher at The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, praised Carleton’s forward-thinking approach. “Healthcare AI is developing at an extraordinary pace. By introducing these concepts during nursing education, Carleton is creating graduates who will help shape how these technologies are implemented in Canadian healthcare settings.”
The program will begin rolling out this September, with first-year students receiving foundational AI literacy training. Upper-year students will engage with more advanced applications through specialized workshops and modified clinical experiences.
Unlike some technology-focused programs that emphasize coding skills, Carleton’s nursing AI curriculum concentrates on practical applications, ethical frameworks, and critical evaluation of AI tools. “We’re not turning nurses into programmers,” clarified Dr. Wood. “We’re ensuring they understand how these systems work, when they should be used, and perhaps most importantly, when human judgment should override algorithmic recommendations.”
The curriculum development received partial funding through a $450,000 grant from the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities’ Healthcare Education Innovation Fund. The provincial government has identified healthcare technology literacy as a priority area for addressing ongoing healthcare system challenges.
For Ottawa’s medical community, Carleton’s announcement represents a timely response to changing healthcare needs. Walking through the halls of our local hospitals, evidence of healthcare AI is already apparent – from automated medication dispensing systems to predictive analytics for patient deterioration.
As I’ve observed covering Ottawa’s healthcare developments over the past decade, the integration of technology and patient care continues to accelerate. Carleton’s curriculum innovation acknowledges this reality while maintaining the human-centered approach essential to nursing practice.
Students interested in learning more about the updated nursing program can visit Carleton’s upcoming Spring Open House on May 14, where faculty will demonstrate some of the AI learning modules that will be incorporated into the curriculum.
