Nearly 60% of nurses say they aren’t fully prepared for the technology they use at work
Technology has become a central part of modern nursing, from electronic charting systems to AI-powered tools designed to streamline clinical workflows. But as new platforms become more common in healthcare settings, many nurses say they have not received the training needed to feel fully confident using them.
A June 2026 survey of 465 registered nurses, commissioned by Carrington College, found that nearly 60% of respondents do not feel fully trained on the technology required for their jobs. While most nurses see the benefits of digital tools, the findings point to a growing gap between the pace of technology adoption and the support healthcare workers receive to use it effectively.
Key Takeaways
- Nearly 60% of nurses do not feel fully trained on the technology required for their roles.
- More than half say new workplace tools are being adopted faster than training programs can keep up.
- Nearly one in three nurses have never used AI-powered tools at work.
- Nurses see the upside: 86% say technology has improved efficiency, especially for documentation and charting.
Most Nurses Say They Need More Technology Training
Nearly 60% of nurses in the survey reported some level of gap in their preparation:
- 52.2% said they feel only somewhat trained.
- 5.7% said they are not adequately trained.
- 1.6% said they received no training at all.
That means a majority of nurses are working with technology they do not feel completely prepared to use.
The issue is not necessarily that nurses are unwilling to embrace new tools. Rather, the survey suggests that technology is often introduced faster than formal training programs can keep up. More than half of respondents (54.1%) said their workplaces are gradually adopting new tools, but training has not kept pace, leaving nurses in a near-constant state of catching up.
For people considering a career in the field, understanding the evolving role of technology is becoming an increasingly important part of learning about nursing careers.
AI Is Entering Healthcare, But Not Every Nurse Has Used It
Artificial intelligence is increasingly part of conversations around healthcare, with potential uses ranging from documentation support to patient monitoring and clinical decision-making assistance. Still, many nurses have not yet encountered AI tools on the job.
Nearly one in three nurses surveyed (32%) said they have never used AI-powered tools at work.
That does not necessarily mean AI is absent from healthcare settings, but it may reflect how unevenly the technology is being introduced across workplaces, specialties, and regions. It also underscores the importance of making sure nurses receive clear guidance as new tools become part of everyday care.
For nurses, learning a new system is rarely as simple as downloading an app or attending a quick tutorial. Technology is often embedded in high-stakes tasks such as medication documentation, patient records, care coordination, and communication between providers. Training that is rushed, inconsistent, or unavailable can create frustration and potentially add to an already demanding workload.
Nurses Want a Greater Voice in Technology Decisions
The survey also found that nurses may not always be included early enough when new technology is introduced.
About one-third of respondents (33.4%) said nurses are not given adequate input when new technology is implemented at their facilities. Another 33.8% identified a lack of training on new tools as one of their biggest workplace technology challenges.
Nurses are often the people using clinical technology most frequently during a shift. Their feedback can help healthcare organizations understand whether a tool is intuitive, whether it improves workflow, and where additional training or troubleshooting may be needed.
Including frontline staff in implementation decisions may also help organizations avoid a common problem: selecting a tool that appears useful in theory but creates extra steps or confusion in practice.
Technology Can Still Make Nursing Work More Efficient
Despite concerns about preparedness and implementation, nurses were largely positive about technology’s effect on their work.
A 2026 review of nurses’ experiences using AI in clinical practice found that nurses often saw value in tools that supported decision-making and workflow efficiency. Still, the review found that positive experiences depended on usable interfaces, adequate training, reliable infrastructure, and technology that fit naturally into nursing work.
The Carrington College survey found that 86% of respondents said technology has somewhat or significantly improved overall efficiency. The most frequently cited benefit was documentation and charting, with 78.2% of nurses identifying it as the task most improved by digital tools.
That finding highlights the potential value of technology when it is implemented thoughtfully. Tools that reduce time spent on repetitive administrative work can give nurses more time to focus on communication, patient education, and direct care.
But efficiency gains are not automatic. The survey results suggest that healthcare organizations need to pair new technology with practical training, ongoing support, and feedback from the people who use it every day.
Closing the Gap Between Adoption and Preparedness
Healthcare technology is likely to keep evolving, especially as AI and digital systems become more integrated into clinical settings. For nurses, the question is not whether technology will remain part of the job, but whether employers and educators will provide the training needed to make those tools genuinely helpful.
The survey reveals that nurses see the value of technology, but many do not yet feel fully equipped to use it. Closing that training gap could help healthcare organizations get more from their investments while supporting nurses in an increasingly digital workplace.
Methodology
Carrington College commissioned the survey in June 2026 using Prolific and SurveyMonkey. The survey included 465 verified registered nurses currently working in healthcare. Participants were screened based on employment status, industry, and profession before being shown the study.
This story was produced by Carrington College and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
