Will AI replace Registered Nurses?
AI can do 63% of the work Registered Nurses do at least twice as fast. People already use it for 1 of their 27 tasks, while 14 more are ready but barely used so far. Robots can technically handle 1 physical task. 11 still need a person.
AI is already doing this1 · 11% of time
People already use AI for these tasks in real work, based on Anthropic's analysis of how Claude is used.
- Monitor, record, and report symptoms or changes in patients' conditions.Mostly automated11% of time
AI could do this next14 · 52% of time
AI can speed these up by at least half, but real use has not caught up yet. These are next in line.
- Maintain accurate, detailed reports and records.12% of time
- Record patients' medical information and vital signs.10% of time
- Consult and coordinate with healthcare team members to assess, plan, implement, or evaluate patient care plans.8% of time
- Monitor all aspects of patient care, including diet and physical activity.4% of time
- Instruct individuals, families, or other groups on topics such as health education, disease prevention, or childbirth and develop health improvement programs.4% of time
- Modify patient treatment plans as indicated by patients' responses and conditions.3% of time
- Order, interpret, and evaluate diagnostic tests to identify and assess patient's condition.3% of time
- Assess the needs of individuals, families, or communities, including assessment of individuals' home or work environments, to identify potential health or safety problems.3% of time
- Perform administrative or managerial functions, such as taking responsibility for a unit's staff, budget, planning, or long-range goals.3% of time
- Direct or coordinate infection control programs, advising or consulting with specified personnel about necessary precautions.1% of time
- Refer students or patients to specialized health resources or community agencies furnishing assistance.1% of time
- Consult with institutions or associations regarding issues or concerns relevant to the practice and profession of nursing.under 1% of time
- Work with individuals, groups, or families to plan or implement programs designed to improve the overall health of communities.under 1% of time
- Engage in research activities related to nursing.under 1% of time
Robots can technically do this1 · 1% of time
Physical tasks that today's robots can perform in at least some settings. Robots are cost competitive for very few tasks so far, so this change moves slower.
- Conduct specified laboratory tests.Robots: purpose built settings1% of time
Still needs a person11 · 36% of time
No real AI use, no proven AI speedup and no robot that can do it yet. This is the part of the job to build on.
- Administer medications to patients and monitor patients for reactions or side effects.15% of time
- Provide health care, first aid, immunizations, or assistance in convalescence or rehabilitation in locations such as schools, hospitals, or industry.7% of time
- Prepare patients for and assist with examinations or treatments.4% of time
- Direct or supervise less-skilled nursing or healthcare personnel or supervise a particular unit.3% of time
- Prepare rooms, sterile instruments, equipment, or supplies and ensure that stock of supplies is maintained.3% of time
- Observe nurses and visit patients to ensure proper nursing care.1% of time
- Prescribe or recommend drugs, medical devices, or other forms of treatment, such as physical therapy, inhalation therapy, or related therapeutic procedures.1% of time
- Provide or arrange for training or instruction of auxiliary personnel or students.1% of time
- Inform physician of patient's condition during anesthesia.under 1% of time
- Administer local, inhalation, intravenous, or other anesthetics.under 1% of time
- Perform physical examinations, make tentative diagnoses, and treat patients en route to hospitals or at disaster site triage centers.under 1% of time
Your week is not the average
Describe what you actually do and get a personal report: your own tasks, what AI can already do, what stays yours and a 90 day plan.
What this means
AI can do most of this work faster, but a real part of the job still needs a person. Real use is still behind at 11 out of 100, so the change here is only getting started. The people who learn which tasks to hand off will pull ahead.
What to do next
- Do the 1 task AI is already handling with AI yourself. Your peers already are, and it is quickly becoming the baseline.
- Get ahead on the 14 tasks AI could do next. These move as tools improve, so learning them early pays off.
- Keep an eye on the 1 physical task robots can technically do. Cost keeps most robots out of work today, so this shift is slower.
- Build on the 11 tasks that stay human. This is where your judgment, skill and relationships matter most.
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