How nursing faculty are using AI in the classroom: 40 real-world applications

Authors: Mamta Shah, PhD, Senior Learning Scientist (Learning Research & Design), Elsevier and Lina Lander, ScD, MBA, Vice President (Assessment, Learning Research & Design), Elsevier

Discover how nursing and allied health faculty are using Sherpath AI to improve student engagement, streamline course preparation, and strengthen clinical reasoning skills. In this new white paper, Elsevier shares 40 real-world examples of AI integration gathered from interviews with educators across BSN, ADN, LPN, dental assisting, and radiologic technology programs.

What's inside:

Based on interviews with 15 faculty members across nine institutions, the findings cover AI applications in five instructional areas:

• Active learning — generating compare-and-contrast exercises, Kahoot-style questions, and real-time analogies during class

• Student remediation — creating personalized practice questions and reducing barriers for struggling learners

• Assessment design — building NCLEX- and HESI-aligned exam items, unfolding case studies, and Bloom's taxonomy-mapped questions

• Lesson planning — generating lecture outlines, updating inherited slides, and verifying clinical accuracy before class

• Faculty development — supporting new instructors, modeling AI literacy, and ensuring consistency across multi-instructor courses

The report also features six faculty spotlights that illustrate how educators are adapting Sherpath AI to fit their unique teaching styles, student populations, and curriculum goals. From helping struggling students articulate misunderstandings to creating interactive classroom activities in real time.

Whether you’re exploring AI in nursing education, looking for practical faculty workflows, or seeking strategies to support student success, this white paper provides actionable insights and implementation ideas grounded in authentic classroom experience.

Key finding: Faculty are not using AI to replace their expertise. They're using it to amplify their teaching, identify student knowledge gaps faster, and reclaim time for direct student connection.

- Mamata Shah, PhD, Senior Product Manager, Elsevier and Lina Lander, ScD, MBA, Vice President, Product, Elsevier