Integrating ChatGPT into Graduate Nursing Education: A Case Study Assignment
Integrating ChatGPT into Graduate Nursing Education: A Case Study Assignment
Tonya Anderson
As a faculty member teaching in a graduate nursing program, I continually seek innovative ways to enhance critical thinking, collaboration, and evidence-based practice among my students.
Fall 2023, I incorporated ChatGPT into a group assignment where students were tasked with generating a patient case study using the AI tool and then comparing the generated content with current evidence-based clinical guidelines.
The experience proved to be both engaging and educational,
highlighting the potential of AI to serve as a valuable teaching tool when used thoughtfully.
The purpose of the assignment was twofold: first, to familiarize students with how
artificial intelligence can be used in clinical education and decision-making; and second, to encourage deeper understanding of evidence-based guidelines by critically
evaluating content generated by ChatGPT. Each group was allowed to select a topic
related to advanced reproductive health and instructed to prompt ChatGPT to create a
patient scenario including history, presenting symptoms, assessment findings, and an
initial plan of care.
After generating the case, the students were required to conduct a literature review
using peer-reviewed sources and evidenced-based practice guidelines. Their goal was
to identify discrepancies, alignments, or gaps between the AI-generated case and
current evidence-based standards. They then presented their findings as a group
presentation, discussing the strengths and limitations of the case and reflecting on the
role of AI in clinical education and practice.
This assignment sparked rich discussions and revealed several important themes.
Many students noted that the case studies generated by ChatGPT were impressively
detailed and realistic in structure. However, when compared to current guidelines, some care plans lacked specificity or included outdated recommendations. This created a valuable teaching moment: students learned the importance of not relying on AI output without validation and developed a stronger appreciation for evidence-based practice.
From a pedagogical standpoint, this activity supported multiple learning outcomes.
It encouraged teamwork, digital literacy, clinical reasoning, and scholarly inquiry. It also
mirrored real-world practice, where nurse practitioners increasingly encounter AI-based
tools in electronic health records or clinical decision support systems. By introducing
ChatGPT in a structured academic setting, students gained awareness of its capabilities
and limitations, equipping them to use such tools responsibly in the future.
As the instructor, I also found value in this experience. I observed how students
interacted with technology, evaluated sources, and debated clinical decisions based on
evidence. The assignment not only met educational goals but also demonstrated how AI
can be ethically integrated into graduate nursing education to enhance learning.
Using ChatGPT to create and evaluate case studies was a successful and insightful
experience in my graduate classroom. It bridged innovation with critical appraisal,
reinforcing the importance of evidence-based practice while preparing students for the
evolving landscape of technology in healthcare.