CLINICAL REASONING CASES IN
NURSING 7TH EDITION HARDING SNYDER
COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS
◉ Clinical Reasoning
Answer: is the cognitive process that uses thinking strategies to
gather and analyze client information, evaluate the relevance of
the information, and decide on possible nursing actions to
improve the client's physiological and psycho social outcomes
◉ Creativity
Answer: is thinking that results in the development of new ideas
and products
◉ Opinion (Differentiating Types of Statements)
Answer: Beliefs formed over time; include judgments that may fit
facts or be erroneous
◉ Cognitive processes (components of clinical reasoning)
Answer: the thinking processes based on the knowledge of
aspects of client care
,◉ Nursing process (Applying Critical Thinking to Nursing
Practice)
Answer: is a systematic, rational method of planning and
providing individualized nursing care
◉ Decision-Making Process
Answer: 1) Prioritizing care when providing care to many clients
2) Deciding whether client's condition can be managed in the
home or requires hospitalization
◉ Independence (Attitudes that Foster Critical Thinking)
Answer: requires that individuals think for themselves
◉ The client who is short of breath benefits from the head of the
bed being elevated. Because this position can result in skin
breakdown in the sacral area, the nurse decides to study the
amount of sacral pressure occurring in other positions. What
decision making is the nurse engaging in?
1. The research method
2. The trial-and-error method
3. Intuition
4. The nursing process
Answer: 1. The research method
, Rationale: The research method uses a research study-based
approach to problem solving. Trial and error (option 2) and
intuition (option 3) would involve unstructured approaches
resulting in less predictable results. The nursing process generally
uses application of known interventions, previously determined
by the scientific (research) process (option 4).
◉ Curiosity (Attitudes that Foster Critical Thinking)
Answer: Being unafraid to examine traditions to be sure they are
still valid
◉ Developing rationales (components of clinical reasoning)
Answer: 1) Justifying the clinical plan
2) Explaining the "why" of priority setting and subsequent
interventions
◉ Clinical Judgement (Applying Critical Thinking to Nursing
Practice)
Answer: a decision making process to ascertain the right nursing
action to be implemented at the appropriate time in the client's
care.
◉ The nurse is concerned about a client who begins to breathe
very rapidly. Which action by the nurse reflects clinical reasoning?
1. Notify the primary care provider.
2. Obtain vital signs and oxygen saturation.
NURSING 7TH EDITION HARDING SNYDER
COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS
◉ Clinical Reasoning
Answer: is the cognitive process that uses thinking strategies to
gather and analyze client information, evaluate the relevance of
the information, and decide on possible nursing actions to
improve the client's physiological and psycho social outcomes
◉ Creativity
Answer: is thinking that results in the development of new ideas
and products
◉ Opinion (Differentiating Types of Statements)
Answer: Beliefs formed over time; include judgments that may fit
facts or be erroneous
◉ Cognitive processes (components of clinical reasoning)
Answer: the thinking processes based on the knowledge of
aspects of client care
,◉ Nursing process (Applying Critical Thinking to Nursing
Practice)
Answer: is a systematic, rational method of planning and
providing individualized nursing care
◉ Decision-Making Process
Answer: 1) Prioritizing care when providing care to many clients
2) Deciding whether client's condition can be managed in the
home or requires hospitalization
◉ Independence (Attitudes that Foster Critical Thinking)
Answer: requires that individuals think for themselves
◉ The client who is short of breath benefits from the head of the
bed being elevated. Because this position can result in skin
breakdown in the sacral area, the nurse decides to study the
amount of sacral pressure occurring in other positions. What
decision making is the nurse engaging in?
1. The research method
2. The trial-and-error method
3. Intuition
4. The nursing process
Answer: 1. The research method
, Rationale: The research method uses a research study-based
approach to problem solving. Trial and error (option 2) and
intuition (option 3) would involve unstructured approaches
resulting in less predictable results. The nursing process generally
uses application of known interventions, previously determined
by the scientific (research) process (option 4).
◉ Curiosity (Attitudes that Foster Critical Thinking)
Answer: Being unafraid to examine traditions to be sure they are
still valid
◉ Developing rationales (components of clinical reasoning)
Answer: 1) Justifying the clinical plan
2) Explaining the "why" of priority setting and subsequent
interventions
◉ Clinical Judgement (Applying Critical Thinking to Nursing
Practice)
Answer: a decision making process to ascertain the right nursing
action to be implemented at the appropriate time in the client's
care.
◉ The nurse is concerned about a client who begins to breathe
very rapidly. Which action by the nurse reflects clinical reasoning?
1. Notify the primary care provider.
2. Obtain vital signs and oxygen saturation.
