Harnessing digital technology to enhance the future of pediatric nursing

The future of pediatric nursing could see digital technology play a larger role in delivering safer and more personalized care for children.

Dr. Karin Plummer, from Griffith University’s School of Nursing and Midwifery, is researching how wearable biosensors, artificial intelligence, virtual reality and chatbot support tools can improve the care and experience of children in hospital.

Her editorial, titled “Harnessing technology in pediatric nursing: Balancing innovation, equity and sustainability,” is published in the Journal of Pediatric Nursing.

“My research looks at how these technologies can reduce distress, support clinicians and parents, and ultimately, improve health outcomes for children,” Dr. Plummer said. “Technology is such a great tool in a medical setting, however, it is only useful if it actually gets used in practice.

“One of the biggest gaps I’ve identified is not about whether digital tools work, but how they’re implemented. In most cases, it’s simply not available at some hospitals, so my work focuses on understanding those barriers and developing practical, equitable pathways to embed these technologies into real-world care.”

The future of pediatric nursing could see more use of smart tools such as AI-powered clinical decision support, wearable sensors that provide real-time health data, and mobile platforms that support symptom tracking and communication between families and care teams. These tools have the potential to transform care, especially for children living with complex or chronic conditions, and those in rural or regional areas.

Digital health innovations offer clear benefits of improved safety through early warning systems, reduced medication errors, streamlined workflows, and better symptom tracking. Importantly, they also empower children and families to participate in care decisions and symptom reporting.

Dr. Plummer said we should not be concerned about technology replacing humans in the industry.

“While AI is able to analyze huge amounts of data and help identify patterns which might signal a critical condition, it’s not a replacement for a nurse or doctor,” she said. “We still need clinical judgment and human connection.”

However, digital innovations come at a cost. Many promising tools never make it into everyday care.

“If we’re going to invest in digital health, we must make sure we’re doing so sustainably and ethically,” Dr. Plummer said.