Acceptance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Among Patients Receiving University Nursing Services: A Predictive Model

Authors

  • Lourdes Arce-Espinoza Universidad Estatal a Distancia, Vicerrectoría Investigación, UNED, Sabanilla, San José, Costa Rica. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0681-0867
  • Greibin Villegas-Barahona Universidad Estatal a Distancia. Vicerrectoría de Docencia, UNED, Sabanilla, San José, Costa Rica.
  • Gioconda Vargas-Morúa Universidad Estatal a Distancia, Vicerrectoría de Docencia, Escuela de Ciencias de la Administración, UNED, Sabanilla, San José, Costa Rica. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5298-8258

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22458/urj.v18i1.6507

Keywords:

attitude toward technology, perceived benefit, technological innovation, user profiles, technology adoption, healthcare services, psychometrics

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Predictive model for the acceptance of artificial intelligence in university nursing services. Introduction: The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in nursing services has increased in recent years, creating opportunities to improve the quality and efficiency of care; however, its implementation largely depends on user acceptance, and there is limited evidence in Latin American contexts to understand this phenomenon. Objective: We analyzed perceptions, attitudes, benefits, expectations, and level of support toward AI in nursing services in order to develop a predictive model to classify users according to their technological acceptance profile. Methods: We conducted a quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional, and analytical study with 704 employees from a public university, to whom we applied a validated 21-item Likert-type psychometric scale grouped into five dimensions; we then performed exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, cluster analysis, and discriminant analysis. Results: We identified three user profiles: sceptics (26%), neutrals (41%), and enthusiasts (33%), with significant differences across all dimensions; the predictive model achieved high classification accuracy in both the training sample (98%) and the validation sample (97%). We observed a strong correlation between AI perception and perceived benefits, as well as the influence of variables such as age and job tenure on technological acceptance. Conclusion: AI acceptance in nursing is a heterogeneous and multidimensional phenomenon structured into distinct user profiles associated with their perceptions, attitudes, and expectations toward technology.

References

Alami, H., Lehoux, P., Auclair, Y., de Guise, M., Gagnon, M. P., Shaw, J., Roy, D., Fleet, R., Ag Ahmed, M. A., & Fortin, J. P. (2020). Artificial Intelligence and Health Technology Assessment: Anticipating a New Level of Complexity. Journal of medical Internet research, 22(7), e17707. https://doi.org/10.2196/17707

Al Kuwaiti, A., Nazer, K., Al-Reedy, A., Al-Shehri, S., Al-Muhanna, A., Subbarayalu, A. V., Al Muhanna, D., & Al-Muhanna, F. A. (2023). A Review of the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare. Journal of personalized medicine, 13(6), 951. https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm13060951

Char, D. S., Shah, N. H., & Magnus, D. (2018). Implementing Machine Learning in Health Care - Addressing Ethical Challenges. The New England journal of medicine, 378(11), 981–983. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMp1714229

Choe, J., & Woo, K. (2025). Factors associated with intention to use generative artificial intelligence in nursing practice: A cross-sectional study. BMC Nursing, 24, 1327. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-025-03985-y

Dwivedi, Y. K., Hughes, L., Ismagilova, E., Aarts, G., Coombs, C., Crick, T., Duan, Y., Dwivedi, R., Edwards, J., Eirug, A., Galanos, V., Ilavarasan, P. V., Janssen, M., Jones, P., Kar, A. K., Kizgin, H., Kronemann, B., Lal, B., Lucini, B., & Williams, M. D. (2021). Artificial intelligence (AI): Multidisciplinary perspectives on emerging challenges, opportunities, and agenda for research, practice and policy. International Journal of Information Management, 57, 101994. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2019.08.002

Gundlack, J., Thiel, C., Negash, S., Buch, C., Apfelbacher, T., Denny, K., Christoph, J., Mikolajczyk, R., Unverzagt, S., & Frese, T. (2025). Patients’ perceptions of artificial intelligence acceptance, challenges, and use in medical care: Qualitative study. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 27, e70487. https://doi.org/10.2196/70487

Guillén, L., Juan-García, A., & Usach, I. (2024). Debate académico: explorando el uso y aplicaciones de la inteligencia artificial en ciencias de la salud. En IN-RED 2024: Congreso de Innovación Educativa y Docencia en Red (pp. 11–12). Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/INRED2024.2024.18400

Hardie, P., Darley, A., Derwin, R., Eustace-Cook, J., Kearns, S., Mc Brien, B., Siddiquee, A., Zheng, D., & Mooney, M. (2026). Applications, attitudes and ethical considerations of generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) in nursing education: A scoping review. BMC Nursing, 25, 148. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-025-04253-9

Herrera-Sánchez, P., & Zapata-Velasco, E. (2024). Uso de la inteligencia artificial en la toma de decisiones en enfermería. Innova Science Journal, 2(1), 15–27. https://doi.org/10.63618/omd/isj/v2/n1/30

Hussain, A., Zhiqiang, M., Li, M., Jameel, A., Kanwel, S., Ahmad, S., & Ge, B. (2025). The mediating effects of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use on nurses’ intentions to adopt advanced technology. BMC Nursing, 24, 33. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-024-02648-8

Kauttonen, J., Rousi, R., & Alamäki, A. (2025). Trust and acceptance challenges in the adoption of AI applications in health care: Quantitative survey analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 27, e65567. https://doi.org/10.2196/65567

Li, X., Xu, H., Hu, X., Guo, J., Yu, P., & Ju, H. (2026). Heterogeneity in nurses’ attitudes toward artificial intelligence: A latent profile analysis. BMC Health Services Research, 26, 665. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-026-14595-y

Morley, J., Machado, C. C. V., Burr, C., Cowls, J., Taddeo, M., & Floridi, L. (2020). The ethics of AI in health care: A mapping review. Social Science & Medicine, 260, 113172. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113172

Ocampo-Bermeo, J. (2024). Usos de inteligencia artificial en los servicios de enfermería: Ana revisión de la literatura. Journal Scientific MQR Investigar, 8(4), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.56048/MQR20225.8.4.2024.7264-7279

Shinners, L., Aggar, C., Grace, S., & Smith, S. (2020). Exploring healthcare professionals’ understanding and experiences of artificial intelligence technology use in the delivery of healthcare, an integrative review. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 29(13–14), 2742–2752. https://doi.org/10.1177/1460458219874641

Seibert, K., Domhoff, D., Bruch, D., Schulte-Althoff, M., & Wolf-Ostermann, K. (2023). Application scenarios for artificial intelligence in nursing care: Rapid review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 25, e41826. https://doi.org/10.2196/26522

Toapanta-Guano, B., & Guarate-Coronado, Y. (2025). Advances in artificial intelligence and its applications in the field of nursing. Journal Scientific MQR Investigar, 9(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.56048/MQR20225.9.1.2025.e228

Unal, C., & Şahin, S. (2026). Health sciences students’ attitudes toward artificial intelligence: Predictors of ethical awareness, clinical decision-making, and public health perceptions—A cross-sectional study. BMC Medical Education, 26, Article 432. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-026-08707-9

Venkatesh, V.; Thong, J. Y. L..; & Xu, X. (2016). Unified theory of acceptance and use of technology: a synthesis and the road ahead. Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 17(5). https://doi.org/10.17705/1jais.00428

World Health Organization. (2021). Ethics and governance of artificial intelligence for health. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240029200

Published

2026-08-06

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Acceptance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Among Patients Receiving University Nursing Services: A Predictive Model. (2026). UNED Research Journal, 18(1), e6507. https://doi.org/10.22458/urj.v18i1.6507

Similar Articles

201-210 of 610

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.