Navigating Professional Accountability in AI–Assisted Nursing Practice: Ethical and Legal Imperatives for the Digital Age

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into clinical decision-making has introduced unprecedented ambiguity regarding professional accountability when AI-assisted care results in adverse patient outcomes. Nurses, positioned as frontline users of AI clinical decision support systems, face a complex landscape where traditional notions of professional responsibility intersect with algorithmic opacity, shared decision-making processes, and evolving legal frameworks. This commentary examines the accountability challenges confronting nurses in AI-enabled practice environments, exploring the ethical tensions between following AI-CDSS recommendations and exercising independent clinical judgment. The commentary argues that clear frameworks for responsibility attribution, robust institutional policies, and strengthened professional guidance are urgently needed to protect both patients and nurses as AI becomes increasingly embedded in healthcare delivery.