Role of artificial intelligence and robotics in transformation of labor market in nursing profession: a study among Bulgarian nurses

Information for nursing staff, 2025, 57(3), 30-35.

R. Stoyanova

Department of Health Management and Health Economics, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University – Plovdiv

Abstract. The study examines the opinions of Bulgarian nurses regarding the role of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation in their profession. Through structured interviews with six nurses from different hospital departments, the degree of task interchangeability with AI and robots was analyzed. The results indicate that routine tasks in technologically advanced departments (Invasive Cardiology, Surgical Unit, ICU) have a high potential for automation. Meanwhile, personalized care and emergency medical interventions in Emergency, Infectious Diseases, and Obstetrics and Gynecology departments remain less interchangeable. Nurses perceive automation as a tool for optimization rather than a threat. The introduction of AI and robotic technologies should be gradual and tailored to the specific needs of different medical units.

Key words: artificial intelligence, robotics, labor automation, nurses, healthcare

Address for correspondence: Assoc. Prof. R. Stoyanova, MD, PhD, e-mail: Rumyana.Stoyanova@mu-plovdiv.bg