Vol. 2, Issue 2, Part A (2025)

Background: The rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare has opened new opportunities for improving clinical efficiency and personalized care. In mental health nursing, where therapeutic empathy is central, the integration of AI requires careful consideration to ensure technological advancement complements rather than replaces human connection. Objectives: This study aimed to assess mental health nurses’ readiness, perceptions, and concerns regarding AI integration in clinical practice, identify key facilitators and barriers, and examine the relationship between empathy concerns and readiness to adopt AI tools. Methods: A mixed-method design was conducted with 200 registered mental health nurses across tertiary hospitals and community psychiatric centers. Data collection included structured questionnaires and focus group discussions. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, logistic regression, and correlational analysis, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. Results: The overall readiness for AI adoption was moderate (mean 61.3 ± 12.4/100). Prior AI training, perceived usefulness, and digital literacy significantly increased the likelihood of high readiness. Nurses in community settings exhibited higher readiness scores than those in inpatient environments. Privacy concerns (72%), workflow disruption (58%), and fear of depersonalization (49%) emerged as leading barriers, while decision support (71%) and early risk detection (63%) were perceived as key benefits. Empathy concern showed a negative correlation with readiness (r ≈ -0.32, p<0.001), indicating that emotional apprehension plays a crucial role in technology acceptance. Conclusion: AI integration in mental health nursing holds promise for enhancing clinical decision-making and operational efficiency while supporting patient-centered care. However, successful implementation depends on structured training, ethical and legal safeguards, context-sensitive strategies, and human-centered system design to maintain empathy as the cornerstone of mental health practice.