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0 pointslghh4y ago0 comments

Nurses do a lot of menial tasks that they are overqualified for. Could those not be freed up by automation so that nurses can do the high-skill tasks they are uniquely qualified to do?

I think you're right in the sense that I expect we won't shoot to automate the menial tasks first, and instead will let our hubris guide us to automate the high-skill tasks. But speaking optimistically, there's a lot of productive automation that can happen. Heck, a lot of it has already happened via digital record keeping.

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weatherlite4y ago

But much of those menial tasks are quite difficult to automate - changing IVs, bed sheets, patient clothes, bandages, diapers etc etc...I don't think AI/robotics is anywhere close. However, it is possible that much of the menial work will be delegated to lower paid "nurse aides" that don't really need much medical knowledge , while the real therapeutic work start being automated by machines and algorithms. Thus salaries will be squeezed downwards, which in the end is what the system wants obviously.

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