Online and AI-generated misinformation a ‘growing burden’ for practice nurses

Tackling health misinformation seen by patients online has become a part of ‘everyday clinical practice’ for nurses working in primary care, the vice chair of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) General Practice Nursing Forum has told.

General practice nurses (GPNs) are having to combat inaccurate information – particularly regarding vaccinations, weight loss medications, contraception and supplements – seen by patients through social media and ‘increasingly convincing AI-generated content’, said Penny Sibthorp.

She warned that misinformation was becoming a ‘growing burden’ for GPNs and spotlighted the need to rebuild professional trust with patients, improve health literacy and communicate ‘with compassion’ to help combat it.

Ms Sibthorp was speaking after a discussion held at the annual RCN Congress on Tuesday, which centred on misinformation in healthcare and the impact it has on the nursing workforce.

While time ran out for Ms Sibthorp to contribute to the discussion on stage, she shared what she said was the perspective of GPNs on the topic with Nursing in Practice after the debate.

For nurses in general practice, ‘misinformation is no longer occasional’, she said.

‘It has become part of everyday clinical practice and a growing burden on the nursing workforce,’ she added.

Without action, Ms Sibthorp warned that without action GPNs will continue to spend consultation time ‘correcting inaccurate health information found online’.

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‘What once were straightforward conversations are becoming longer, more complex, and emotionally demanding,’ she told Nursing in Practice.

Ms Sibthorp said misinformation occurs a lot during vaccination programmes, where patients have fears around safety, fertility and long-term harm.

‘[It] is driving mistrust, falling uptake, and the return of vaccine-preventable disease,’ she added.

‘The same patterns affect menopause care, contraception, long-term condition management and individual medications such as PPIs and statins.

‘Increasingly, patients arrive having already lost trust in professional advice before the consultation has even begun.’

Concerns were also raised about patients being targeted by marketing for ‘unnecessary supplements, detoxes, hormone “balancing” programmes and expensive wellness testing’.

Ms Sibthorp said: ‘GPNs are uniquely placed to challenge misinformation because of the trusted relationships we build within our communities.

‘Misinformation thrives where people feel frightened, unheard, dismissed, or overwhelmed.

‘Tackling it therefore is not only about correcting facts – it is about rebuilding trust, improving health literacy, and communicating with compassion in a digital world where fear and influence can often travel faster than truth.’

Ms Sibthorp was talking after a debate, held at congress in Liverpool this week, which discussed the impact of misinformation on healthcare and the nursing workforce.

Chair of the women’s health forum Charlotte Glynn introduced the topic, highlighting the conflict between evidence-based care and patients seeking unreliable sources, citing vaccine hesitancy and false claims about treatments.

She said: ‘Misinformation is a patient-safety concern, and good sources are essential.

‘Misinformation in healthcare is something which affects everyone in society, and it needs tackling head on at a systemic level.’

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Other members of congress emphasised the emotional exhaustion of correcting misinformation, the need for evidence-based communication, and the role of nurses in advocating for patients.

Mental health nurse Clare Manley said there had been a rise of neurodiversity misinformation which has placed ‘strain on stretched services’.

She said: ‘The rise in awareness of neurodiversity, much of it fuelled by social media, has been empowering and challenging.

‘[But] also [it has] created a surge in demand, high expectations, and sometimes a misunderstanding of what ADHD and autism truly are.

‘Misinformation of public perception places strain on stretched services and individuals.’

Nurses also spoke about the impact of social media, with former GPN Adele Parsons sharing the consequences of social media on herself after her cancer diagnosis.

She said: ‘Chemotherapy is hard [and] the internet is awash with claims about cures for cancer.

‘My social media was rammed with claims that turmeric can cure even stage‑four cancer [as well as] juice cleanses and coffee enemas.

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‘The whole industry [is] catching people in that moment when they are frightened, exhausted, desperate.’

Discussions were also held about the challenges of combating misinformation in diverse communities.

Member of RCN’s public health forum Rod Thomson said while working with multicultural communities, it’s ‘critical’ for nurses to ensure these patients are receiving ‘positive information’.

The consensus from the debate was that misinformation is a systemic issue requiring strategic action to protect both patients and the nursing workforce.