globusjournal

Background: Integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in mental health nursing is accelerating, offering opportunities for improving clinical efficiency, diagnostic precision, and care coordination. However, this technological transformation raises concerns regarding the preservation of human empathy and the nurse‑patient therapeutic relationship.

Aim: This research investigates how human-AI collaboration can be optimized in mental health nursing such that it enhances clinical workflows without compromising empathic care.

Methods: We conducted a narrative literature synthesis drawing on recent studies examining AI applications in mental health nursing, nurse perceptions of AI, and empirical evaluations of empathy outcomes in AI‑augmented care contexts.

Results: Findings indicate that AI systems can support clinical decision‑making, risk assessment, and monitoring while freeing nurses’ time for deeper interpersonal engagement. Conversely, AI’s limitations in authentic empathy and concerns about depersonalization, ethical considerations, and bias must be systematically addressed.

Conclusion: Effective incorporation of AI in mental health nursing requires a hybrid human-AI model. This model preserves empathic engagement by nurses while leveraging automated tools for routine or cognitively demanding tasks. Education, ethical frameworks, and co‑design practices between clinicians and developers are crucial.

Keywords: Human-AI Collaboration; Mental Health Nursing; Empathy; Automation; Therapeutic Relationship; Ethical AI.