Artificial Intelligence Literacy and Its Association with Academic Integrity and Critical Thinking Among Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Cross Sectional Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.68716/IJAMSR.2026.1202Keywords:
Artificial intelligence literacy; Academic integrity; Critical thinking; Nursing education; Undergraduate nursing students; Ethical scholarshipAbstract
Background: Artificial Intelligence (AI) literacy has emerged as a critical competency in healthcare education, influencing both ethical academic practices and the development of higher-order thinking skills. Concerns persist that AI access may foster academic misconduct, yet empirical evidence remains limited.
Objective: This study examined the association between AI literacy and academic integrity and critical thinking disposition among nursing students in India.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 477 nursing students, of whom 434 provided valid, consented responses. Data were collected using standardised 5-point Likert scales assessing AI literacy, academic integrity, and critical thinking. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, simple linear regression, independent-samples t-tests, and one-way ANOVA.
Results: Participants were predominantly female (75.3%), enrolled in B.Sc. Nursing (66.1%), and from private institutions (98.6%). Overall, AI literacy was moderate-to-high (Mean = 3.35, SD = 0.73). AI literacy was strongly and positively correlated with academic integrity (r = 0.821, p < 0.001, R² = 0.674) and critical thinking (r = 0.788, p < 0.001, R² = 0.621). Sub-domains of academic honesty behaviours (Mean = 3.43) and reflective judgment in AI use (Mean = 3.43) were particularly high. Demographic analyses showed no significant differences across gender, course, or year of study, suggesting uniform AI literacy levels.
Conclusion: Findings show that higher AI literacy is strongly associated with stronger academic integrity and critical thinking among nursing students. Contrary to prevailing concerns, AI literacy fosters responsible and ethical use of generative tools while strengthening reflective judgment and open-mindedness. Educational institutions should integrate standardised AI literacy and ethics curricula across all years of nursing education to promote ethical scholarship and clinical reasoning.
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