Other Titles
PechaKucha Presentation
Abstract
Introduction: Science fiction (Sci-Fi) has been imagining advances in human healthcare for over 200 years. With each advancement in technology, we can see parallels to Sci-Fi ideas that have now integrated into all aspects of the nursing profession.
Design: We will visually explore the history of nursing and healthcare depicted in Sci-Fi media, highlight key moments and predictions, and discuss how those predictions translate to technology that nurses use today. We will show the promises of Sci-Fi and how modern nursing is being shaped by technology that was once fantastical. We will also imagine what modern nursing could look like in the future. We will conduct a thorough literature search using CINAHL, PubMed, and Google Scholar as well as popular media to establish a visual timeline of past, present, and future technology.
Results: The results of this review will show the parallels of what Sci-Fi predicted and what technology is being integrated into healthcare today. We will look forward to what Sci-Fi may tell us about the future of nursing.
Discussion: Our discussion will focus on the history of nursing and healthcare Sci-Fi and how far we have come. We will address some of the anxiety and uncertainty around technological advancements throughout healthcare history. We highlight inequities and ethical considerations.
Implications to Nursing: There are an estimated 29 million nurses worldwide with various roles that span the entire scope of healthcare. Technology, including artificial intelligence and beyond, will influence every aspect of our profession. It is important to know where we have been and have an evidenced-based imagination of where we are going next.
Notes
This is a PechaKucha presentation, and the slide deck contains images instead of text. To compensate for this, the presenter notes are available in the attached slide deck. To see the notes in Adobe Acrobat, go to Tools > Comment or look at your Layers Panel. If the notes were saved as comments or layers, you can toggle them visible.
References:
Barker, W., Chang, W., Everson, J., Gabriel, M., Patel, V., Richwine, C., & Strawley, C. (2024). The evolution of health information technology for enhanced patient-centric care in the United States: Data-driven descriptive study. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 26, e59791. https://doi.org/10.2196/59791
Dunnell, T. (23 May 2025) 5 Things from “The Jetsons’ that actually exist today. Retrieved from: https://historyfacts.com/arts-culture/article/the-jetsons-future-technology/
Hirani, R., Noruzi, K., Khuram, H., Hussaini, A. S., Aifuwa, E. I., Ely, K. E., Lewis, J. M., Gabr, A. E., Smiley, A., Tiwari, R. K., & Etienne, M. (2024). Artificial intelligence and healthcare: A journey through history, present innovations, and future possibilities. Life (Basel, Switzerland), 14(5), 557. https://doi.org/10.3390/life14050557
Nashwan, A. J., Cabrega, J. A., Othman, M. I., Khedr, M. A., Osman, Y. M., El-Ashry, A. M., Naif, R., & Mousa, A. A. (2025). The evolving role of nursing informatics in the era of artificial intelligence. International Nursing Review, 72(1), e13084. https://doi.org/10.1111/inr.13084
Olorunfemi, O. & Akinyemi, T.A. (2024). Science and practice of nursing: The impact of technology. Digital Medicine 10(3):e24-00003, https://doi.org/110.1097/DM-2024-00003
Rampton, V., Böhmer, M., & Winkler, A. (2022). Medical technologies past and present: How history helps to understand the digital era. The Journal of Medical Humanities, 43(2), 343–364. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10912-021-09699-x
WHO (17 Jul 2025) Retrieved from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/nursing-and-midwifery
Sigma Membership
Kappa Eta, Phi Theta
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Emerging Technologies, Ethics, Nursing Ethics, Technology, Science Fiction
Recommended Citation
Marko, Tara and Mincey, Matthew, "Sci-Fi and Nursing: What We Got Right, What We Got Wrong, and What is Our Next Frontier" (2026). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 204.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2026/presentations_2026/204
Conference Name
37th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Conference Year
2026
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-08-24
Sci-Fi and Nursing: What We Got Right, What We Got Wrong, and What is Our Next Frontier
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Introduction: Science fiction (Sci-Fi) has been imagining advances in human healthcare for over 200 years. With each advancement in technology, we can see parallels to Sci-Fi ideas that have now integrated into all aspects of the nursing profession.
Design: We will visually explore the history of nursing and healthcare depicted in Sci-Fi media, highlight key moments and predictions, and discuss how those predictions translate to technology that nurses use today. We will show the promises of Sci-Fi and how modern nursing is being shaped by technology that was once fantastical. We will also imagine what modern nursing could look like in the future. We will conduct a thorough literature search using CINAHL, PubMed, and Google Scholar as well as popular media to establish a visual timeline of past, present, and future technology.
Results: The results of this review will show the parallels of what Sci-Fi predicted and what technology is being integrated into healthcare today. We will look forward to what Sci-Fi may tell us about the future of nursing.
Discussion: Our discussion will focus on the history of nursing and healthcare Sci-Fi and how far we have come. We will address some of the anxiety and uncertainty around technological advancements throughout healthcare history. We highlight inequities and ethical considerations.
Implications to Nursing: There are an estimated 29 million nurses worldwide with various roles that span the entire scope of healthcare. Technology, including artificial intelligence and beyond, will influence every aspect of our profession. It is important to know where we have been and have an evidenced-based imagination of where we are going next.
Description
Sci-Fi has been imagining advances in human healthcare and nursing for over 200 years. This PechaKucha presentation will take the audience through a visual journey of what has been promised through Sci-Fi, what technology has been actualized, and what might be ahead of us.