Enhancing Nursing Assessment Skills with AI Patient Simulation

Emily Gullena

In my undergraduate nursing course, one of the most impactful changes I’ve made to clinical skills instruction is integrating an AI-powered patient simulation into our classroom.

Using ChatGPT, I created an interactive, virtual “patient” that students can interview and assess just as they would in a real clinical setting. The results have been incredible.

Not only have students sharpened their communication and assessment skills,
but they consistently walk away more confident, engaged, and excited about their learning.

In each session, students are assigned to interact with the AI patient using a structured
clinical scenario. They are tasked with asking questions about the patient’s chief complaint, pain, medical history, lifestyle factors, and more mirroring the components of a full health assessment. The AI responds just like a real patient would, offering nuanced answers that reflect symptoms, emotions, and even psychosocial concerns.
These interactions can be tailored to simulate specific conditions, such as post-operative pain, chronic illness, or acute pediatric symptoms.

What sets this AI experience apart is the real-time, human-like quality of the responses.
Students are always surprised at how “real” the patient feels. They often comment that
the AI responds in ways they wouldn’t expect from a traditional textbook scenario. The
patient might hesitate when asked about medications, express frustration about chronic pain, or respond emotionally to sensitive topics—just like in real life. This pushes
students to think on their feet, adjust their tone, and apply therapeutic communication
strategies in real time.

After each interaction, the AI provides individualized feedback on the student’s
performance. It evaluates the quality and clarity of the questions asked, whether key
components of the assessment were covered, and how effectively the student built
rapport. This feedback is immediate and specific, allowing students to reflect on what
they did well and where they can improve.

“What sets this AI experience apart is the real-time, human-like quality of the responses.
Students are always surprised at how “real” the patient feels. They often comment that the AI responds in ways they wouldn’t expect from a traditional textbook scenario.”

“Because the AI patient can simulate a wide range of scenarios, students gain exposure to diverse health conditions and communication challenges that they may not see during limited clinical rotations.”

This AI simulation has helped bridge the gap between theory and practice, especially for students who are still building confidence in face-to-face clinical encounters.

It creates a safe, low-pressure environment for students to make mistakes, learn from them, and try again. Because the AI patient can simulate a wide range of scenarios, students gain exposure to diverse health conditions and communication challenges that they may not see during limited clinical rotations.

From a teaching perspective, it’s been a game-changer. The students’ growth in both
clinical reasoning and professional communication has been evident and measurable.
As we prepare the next generation of nurses for a complex and ever-changing healthcare environment, tools like AI simulation allow us to enhance learning in powerful, innovative ways. It doesn’t replace clinical practice, but it enriches it by helping students build strong foundational skills before they ever walk into a patient’s room.