MANCHESTER, Jamaica – With the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) to the nursing profession, nursing graduates must maintain their humanity and morality in caring for patients, says Dr Jacqueline Lyons Lloyd, a Mandeville-based health practitioner.

“Don’t let the algorithms define your worth! Stay human in a world that is built for machines! Don’t forget to speak to the patient’s souls,” said Lloyd in her keynote address to graduates from Northern Caribbean University (NCU) at the annual Nurses’ Pinning and Thanksgiving Ceremony at NCU’s Mandeville Campus on Thursday.

Lloyd, who is a certified nurse educator (CNE), advised the 75 nursing graduates to resist behaviours that are degrading to themselves, their patients and others. While emphasising the value of AI in the profession, she insisted on nurses “adding the human touch.”

Referring to the biblical story of the Good Samaritan, Lloyd maintained that caring for patients should be at a standard level of high care, regardless of ethnicity, social divisions, classism, racism and prejudice.

She declared that the true nursing professional is an advocate for patients’ rights and care, even if it is inconvenient. She said the profession is about “caring with your heart and healing with your hands”.

“Every encounter we make is an opportunity to witness and to enhance someone else’s life spiritually, physically, socially and emotionally – holistically,” she added.

Lloyd reminded the soon-to-be registered nurses that professionalism and integrity involved showing up punctually and prepared.

She encouraged them to keep up with trends and research in nursing and not take the mediocre view of seeing their calling as “only a job”.

Lloyd, who is a former assistant professor at NCU Department of Nursing, cited examples of ways in which nurses do not always practise integrity, professionalism or humanity.

She challenged the graduates to live up to high standards, to listen, to be respectful, to adhere to the appropriate dress code on the job, and to never ignore patients – particularly the vulnerable and needy.

She added that patients’ fears, beliefs and decisions should always be respected.