Clinical Judgement

Question 1

What is clinical judgement?

Answer 1

Clinical judgement is practical, reasoned direction towards solving a problem. the processes by which nurses reach their decisions by choosing what to observe, interpreting the observations and taking appropriate actions by modifying approaches & improvising new ones for patient needs.

Question 2

What does clinical judgement in nursing lead to?

Answer 2

Identification & logical interpretation of symptoms
Planning care to alleviate or prevent complications/relapses
Partnering with the patient to do for them what they would do themselves given the strength & knowledge
Partnering with the patient to satisfy physical, psychological & spiritual needs
Assisting the patient in dying with dignity PRN

Question 3

Describe practical reasoning of patient conditions that is necessary for clinical judgement.

Answer 3

Practical reasoning of patient conditions:

Knowing what to observe
Interpreting the observations
Paying attention to subtle changes in conditions
Taking appropriate actions by modifying the approach or improvising as necessary

Question 4

What are the four key elements of clinical judgement?

Answer 4

Knowledge base (academic)
Practical knowledge (practice based)
Knowledge of patient (their story)
Cognitive skills

Question 5

What are the three cognitive skills required for clinical judgement?

Answer 5

Intuition
Conscious decision making
Critical thinking

Question 6

What is intuition?

Answer 6

The immediate apprehension that something is so without the benefit of conscious reasoning.

Question 7

What are four factors involved in intuition?

Answer 7

Pattern recognition
Sequence
Common sense
Deliberate rationality

Question 8

How is intuition achieved?

Answer 8

It is achieved by learning to describe accurately common patient responses in nursing care situations and based on logical thinking and hunches which you then utilize your logic and experience to make a well-reasoned conclusion.

Question 9

What are three issues with intuition?

Answer 9

Prejudging
Snap Judgements
Forming opinions too early

Question 10

What are some nursing factors that influence clinical judgement?

Answer 10

Cognitive ability
Values and Biases
Notion of good practice
Emotional attunement
Practical knowledge
Relationship with patient.

Question 11

What are some contextual factors that influence clinical judgement?

Answer 11

Demands of the situation
Meaning of tasks
Workplace culture
Workload

Question 12

How are clinical judgement and decision making different?

Answer 12

Clinical judgement is needed to make decisions. Decision making is the identification of a course of action.

Question 13

What are the two key questions you need to answer in order to critically think?

Answer 13

What are the exact results you need?

What are the problems or risks that you must address to get the results?

Question 14

What is critical thinking?

Answer 14

The intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating the information gathered from or generated by observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communicating, as a guide to belief or action.

Question 15

What is critical reflection?

Answer 15

A process that critically examines one’s experience to make meaning, to interpret, and to develop insight and understanding, thereby improving one’s practice.

Question 16

What is the purpose of critical reflection?

Answer 16

It is a tool used to reflect on meaning of experiences. It is used to build scenarios to prepare for future experiences. It is an aspect of clinical judgement.

Question 17

What is critical analysis?

Answer 17

To examine ideas, situations, arguments, and data to identify elements/factors & their possible relationship.

Question 18

What is the relationship between clinical judgement, critical thinking, and critical reflection?

Answer 18

Critical thinking and critical reflection are tools utilized in the process of clinical judgement. All three involve patient care, a consious process, observing, attending to selected data, analyzing, and responding to patient needs.

Question 19

What are some ways to increase your clinical judgement skills?

Answer 19

Knowledge
Follow policies and procedures
Comprehensive and systematic assessments
Determine a system
Perform interventions
Learn from others
Learn new technology
Professional caring

Question 20

What are critical pathways and clinical guidelines?

Answer 20

Tools that provide direction in care for a population of patients, to improve quality of care and patient outcome.