Unlocking New Digital Tools in Clinical Practice: Leaders in Nursing & Midwifery Discuss

This episode of the ANMF Podcast, presented in partnership with the Australian Digital Health Agency, brings together senior leaders in nursing and midwifery to explore how digital health, especially Artificial Intelligence (AI), is reshaping clinical roles and care delivery. The discussion emphasises the importance of nursing and midwifery knowledge, curiosity, inclusion, and human judgment in successfully integrating digital tools such as AI into nursing and midwifery practice. Participants include Alison McMillan (Commonwealth Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer), Kellie Wilton (Senior Midwifery Advisor), Annie Butler (ANMF's Federal Secretary), Karrie Long (Victorian Chief Nurse and Midwifery Officer), and Alicia Graham (Digital Health Educator with the Australian Digital Health Agency). Key takeaways include: • AI supports, not replaces, care. Nurses and midwives are essential for making human, in-the-moment decisions. AI can support evidence-based care, but it cannot replicate human judgment, empathy, or adaptability. • Curiosity drives innovation. Embracing a mindset of curiosity and exploration opens new possibilities in how nurses and midwives can use digital tools for better patient outcomes. • Digital tools can drive health equity Tools like telehealth, translation apps, and mobile devices can bridge gaps for culturally and linguistically diverse communities and First Nations people through inclusive design and language access • Trust and safety are essential. Nurses and midwives bring trusted relationships and their contextual knowledge to digital systems. Their expertise is crucial in making AI work effectively, ethically, and safely—especially when it comes to cybersecurity, data sharing, and navigating complex care relationships.