We are proud to shine this issue's Member Spotlight on Patricia M. Schoon, DNP, MPH, PHN, RN, Professor and Coordinator of the Prelicensure BSN Program in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Metropolitan State University. As a long-time member and a deeply respected pillar in the public health nursing education community, Dr. Schoon continues to model innovative, forward-thinking pedagogy.
This semester, in her Introduction to the Science and Art of Nursing course for 5th-semester prelicensure BSN students, Dr. Schoon recognized the urgent need to address an emerging reality in healthcare: artificial intelligence. While the primary focus of her course was not public health or community health nursing specifically, she introduced her students to a very brief, foundational introduction to AI, centering squarely on ethics, potential benefits, and practical pitfalls.
To shape this curriculum and ground her students in evidence-based perspectives, Dr. Schoon drew upon three key professional and scholarly resources:
The Impact and Issues of Artificial Intelligence in Nursing Science and Healthcare Settings (Pailaha 2023): Used to introduce students to the broader operational landscape, highlighting how AI expands access to quality care and improves medical records, while soberingly addressing critical issues like algorithmic bias and data reliability.
The Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligence in Nursing Practice (American Nurses Association [ANA] Position Statement 2022): Utilized to ground students in core nursing values, emphasizing that technology is an adjunct to—not a replacement for—human judgment, clinical compassion, and professional accountability.
N.U.R.S.E.S. Embracing Artificial Intelligence: A Guide to Artificial Intelligence Literacy for the Nursing Profession (Hoelscher & Pugh Nursing Outlook 2025): Employed to provide a structured leadership framework for digital health literacy, helping students navigate AI basics, recognize pitfalls like hallucinations and data privacy risks, and champion ethical action in clinical environments.
By introducing these critical concepts early in their educational journey, Dr. Schoon is ensuring that the next generation of nurses enters the workforce equipped with the digital and ethical literacy necessary to protect patient safety and champion health equity.
Thank you, Pat, for your enduring leadership, your commitment to nursing excellence, and for sharing your classroom insights with the ACHNE community!