Robots perform surgery at some places these days.

So how long before the same happens with nursing? I read an article from Japan a few years back about how nurses could titrate drips from the nursing station, which makes me wonder if nurses will eventually be replaced by robots too. One can't help but wonder.

I want a robot nurse. How long do you think I'd have to live to get a robot nurse? I think I've got 40-50 years left-max. No dice? At least I can have a smart phone on my death bed ...maybe one that's even smarter than the one I have now.

Nursing is probably one of the safest careers from being overtaken by robots

I'd like to see a robot clean up a code brown. And cuddle a frightened child. And make that human connection that allows a resistant, frightened patient to calm down and work with the health team. And ....

I'd like to see a robot clean up a code brown. And cuddle a frightened child. And make that human connection that allows a resistant, frightened patient to calm down and work with the health team. And ....

Last shift I was assigned to monitor a patient getting a nerve block. My responsibility was literally just to monitor - pretty much just for the only emergent situation of lidocaine toxicity.

As it turned out, they had quite a bit of trouble getting it done and it ended up taking nearly an hour during which I stood with the patient, held her hand to keep it out of the sterile field, distracted her, pointed things out on the ultrasound screen, awakened the ultrasound twice from "sleep mode" (yeah, it took that long), and captured a couple images on the screen for the doc. As we were nearing the end, the attending said, "Wow, thanks. You did a great job with her. I really appreciate it." I replied, "Sometimes the 'soft skills' are the ones that really count."

No robot could have replaced me there, I don't think.

Sure, I do think technology will reduce the need for some nurses - that is, permit each nurse to safely and effectively take care of more patients with some support personnel - but I don't see large-scale elimination of the role... it's just too broad and too varied.

Nurse Robots Are Getting More Advanced - Can We Trust Them? | Nurse.org

Yes I realize that. But in Japan they are literally using robot nurses. P.S. read the article above.

Interesting question, but I don't think the article gives examples of "robot nurses". It discusses "nurse robots" that perform some nursing tasks and assist the nurse, but they do not replace a nurse. Perhaps they might develop a robot at some point which will integrate more capabilities so it can operate as a nurse, but it doesn't seem like the technology is there quite yet.