Clinical Decision Making Study Questions and Correct Answers

Inferences Conclusions drawn from the facts; going beyond facts to make a statement about something not currently known Facts Can be corroborated through investigation Judgments Evaluation of facts or information that reflect values or other criteria; a type of opinion Opinions Beliefs formed over time; include judgments that may fit facts or be in error What is clinical reasoning? a thought process used to assess a client's evolving situation and health care concerns, gather data, and make decisions to solve problems within a particular clinical context to achieve better client outcomes 4 actions that nurses can take to improve their clinical reasoning? Critical analysis, socratic questioning, inductive reasoning, deductive reasoning. Critical analysis: questions that determine essential elements and discard superfluous information. What is clinical judgment? "The interpretation or conclusion about a patient's needs, concerns or health problems and/or the decision to take action ... as deemed appropriate by the patient's response." Socratic questioning: looking beneath the surface, recognize and examine assumptions, inconsistencies - looking at what is known from what is believed. Inductive reasoning: conclusions formed from a set of facts that suggests an interpretation. Deductive reasoning; from a general approach to a specific conclusion. What is intuition "An emotional awareness" Benner and Tanner (1987) Not recommended for nursing students because there must be knowledge and experience behind it