Mapping research trends and competency domains in nursing-related digital and artificial intelligence technologies:A bibliometric analysisOA

Objectives This study aimed to explore the research trends,thematic structures,and core competency domains in the field of nursing-related digital and artificial intelligence(AI)technologies.Methods A bibliometric analysis was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 statement.Peer-reviewed articles published in English from 2015 to 2025 were retrieved from Scopus,Web of Science,and PubMed.Thematic clustering was conducted using the Louvain algorithm and cosine similarity.A subset of 66 frequently cited articles was then qualitatively synthesized to capture core competencies across clusters.Results A total of 83,807 articles were included for bibliometric analysis.Of these,66 articles were chosen for thematic analysis.Five major thematic clusters were identified:remote care in primary settings,oncology and palliative care,nurse education and training,safety and quality in nursing practice,and geriatric and dementia care.Additionally,four competency domains were identified:telehealth and remote communication,health systems and informatics,digital tools in practice,and AI-powered decision support.A clear shift in research focus was observed,with the emphasis transitioning from foundational digital skills before the COVID-19 pandemic to more advanced competencies during the post-pandemic digital transformation,encompassing ethical reasoning,immersive technology use,and AI integration.Conclusions Integrating digital and AI technologies is reshaping nursing practice across various thematic areas and competency domains,highlighting a transition from foundational digital tasks to AI-supported decision-making and ethically informed technology use.This study provides a structured overview of evolving competencies in digital nursing and synthesizes evidence to support future research,curriculum design,and policy planning.