Nurse educator: To secure staff buy-in on AI, apply Gartner’s Hype Cycle

Nurses reacting negatively to AI adoption at work aren’t necessarily unwilling to get on board with the “new way” or intimidated by emerging technologies. More likely, they’re accepting organizational change but without much enthusiasm. 

This means they’re only human: Resistance to change is common to all workers across all occupations. Within nursing, as elsewhere, leaders of the profession seeking AI acceptance from those they lead would do well to apply psychological insights along with technical tips. 

Jiyoun Song PhD, RN, offers tips in a paper published Aug. 11 in Nurse Leader titled “Expectations, Emotions and Empowerment: Understanding Nurses’ Needs in the Age of AI.” Here are five of her recommended strategies for nurse leaders, each one based on a point in the Gartner Hype Cycle. 

1. Initial awareness and curiosity. (Gartner’s ‘innovation trigger.’)

“AI interest begins with broad exposure through leadership messages, organizational initiatives or media coverage before it becomes personally relevant,” Song writes. “Engagement is abstract, and psychological needs remain mostly latent.”

Nurse leadership strategy: Spark interest with storytelling and informal exposure. Focus on exploration, not commitment.

2. Hope and anticipation. (Gartner’s ‘peak of inflated expectations.’) 

At the peak of inflated expectations, Song explains, “nurses may feel optimistic about AI, especially when early successes are highlighted and the promise of efficiency and professional recognition is emphasized. These reactions can activate multiple levels of need: physiological (e.g., hope for reduced workload), safety (e.g., desire for job clarity), belonging (e.g., inclusion in innovation efforts) and esteem (e.g., recognition for embracing change).”

Nurse leadership strategy: Manage expectations while validating hope. Emphasize realistic outcomes and share lessons from early adopters. Acknowledge both excitement and anxiety, and connect AI initiatives to existing nursing values.

3. Frustration and withdrawal. (Gartner’s ‘trough of disillusionment.’)

“When AI creates inefficiencies or errors, nurses may lose confidence in the system and themselves,” Song points out. “In some cases, technical glitches can cause physical fatigue, extend shifts and affect basic physiological needs such as rest and recovery. Disengagement may result from frustration, particularly if their professional judgment feels sidelined.”

Nurse leadership strategy: Normalize frustration as part of the learning process. Offer hands-on support and space to give feedback without judgment. Clarify that nurses’ expertise remains essential and build confidence with quick wins.

4. Recovery and rebuilding. (Gartner’s ‘slope of enlightenment.’)

Through constructive feedback, peer support and iterative training, “nurses begin rebuilding trust in the system,” Song notes. “When they feel heard and valued in this learning phase, both esteem and team connection are restored.”

Nurse leadership strategy: Involve nurses in workflow redesign and celebrate progress. Reinforce shared ownership and peer mentorship.

5. Integration and empowerment. (Gartner’s ‘plateau of productivity.’)

“As AI becomes part of routine practice, empowered nurses move beyond basic use toward innovation and leadership,” Song writes. “They integrate the tools in ways that express their clinical judgment, mentor others and contribute meaningfully to patient care, meeting higher-level needs for esteem and fulfillment.”

Nurse leadership strategy: Sustain engagement by aligning AI with purpose. Recognize nurse-led innovation and support professional growth.

“Leading with emotional fluency and strategic empathy ensures nurses do not just adapt to change—they thrive in it, shape it and improve care through it,” Song concludes. “The future of AI in nursing will be defined not by speed of adoption but by the strength of human-centered support.”

Song is an assistant professor in the Department of Biobehavioral Health Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing in Philadelphia. Her paper is largely generalizable to healthcare workers and leaders in professions other than nursing. Read the whole thing.

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