VCU project will bring AI and cybersecurity training to the next generation of nurses

By VCU College of Engineering staff

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in healthcare, nurses will need to understand more than how to use the technology. They also will need to know how to protect patients, their data and the systems on which modern care increasingly depends. A new interdisciplinary project at Virginia Commonwealth University aims to prepare nurses for this complex new landscape.

Eyuphan Bulut, Ph.D., a professor in the College of Engineering’s Department of Computer Science, has received a $100,000 grant from the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative for “Securing AI-Driven Healthcare: Experiential Cyber Learning for Next-Gen Nursing Workforce.”

The project brings together VCU’s College of Engineering and School of Nursing to provide nursing students with practical experience in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and emerging healthcare technologies.

“AI is transforming healthcare, but its benefits can only be fully realized when healthcare professionals understand both its capabilities and its risks,” Bulut said. “By equipping future nurses with AI and cybersecurity skills, we are helping build a safer, more resilient healthcare system.”

The project begins this fall with the creation of a Smart Healthcare Security Lab, a hands-on learning environment where nursing students can explore AI-enabled healthcare technologies while learning about cybersecurity, privacy risks and emerging medical devices. The lab will serve VCU students as well as nursing students from other Virginia institutions, particularly community colleges.

In spring 2027, the project will launch a Nursing Cyber Fellows track for 15 students — 10 from VCU and five from partner institutions. Fellows will receive advanced training in topics including AI in healthcare, healthcare data and privacy, and cybersecurity for AI-driven medical systems. They also will complete hands-on assignments and interact with experts in healthcare and cybersecurity.

In early summer 2027, fellows will complete two- to three-week externships at VCU Health and, when possible, other regional healthcare organizations. Students will work alongside nurses, nursing informaticists and clinical IT and security professionals, gaining firsthand experience with AI-enabled clinical systems and technology-supported patient care.

Amy Salisbury, Ph.D., associate dean for research in the School of Nursing, serves as co-principal investigator.

For Bulut, what makes this project unique is its emphasis on hands-on learning: not only teaching students how to use AI tools, but also how to use them safely, responsibly and with an understanding of cybersecurity and patient privacy. 

He also sees the project as a model that could grow, with the grant representing an initial step toward a larger training initiative designed to build a pipeline of nursing professionals prepared to navigate AI and cybersecurity.

“We hope this model can be expanded to benefit healthcare education across Virginia and beyond,” Bulut said.

This story was originally published on the College of Engineering website.