Clinical Reasoning Flashcards
The first step of the clinical reasoning cycle
Consider the patient.
Information is gained through first impression and clinical handover.
The second step of the clinical reasoning cycle
Collect cues/information.
Relevant information is collected through patient’s documented history, clinical documentation, medical/nursing notes, handover report and more.
Decide new data to be collected through focused health assessment or patient’s/family member’s verbal concerns.
Recall and apply knowledge related to patient’s situation.
The third step of the clinical reasoning cycle
Process information.
Cues are carefully analyzed through normal versus abnormal.
Patterns are recognized and hypotheses are made.
Anticipates potential outcomes depending on an action or inaction, a.k.a thinking ahead.
The fourth step of the clinical reasoning cycle
Identify problems/issues
Synthesize all information to identify the most pressing patient problems.
The fifth step of the clinical reasoning cycle
Establish goals
The nurse prioritizes the goals of care depending on urgency. (SMART Goals).
The sixth step of the clinical reasoning cycle
Take action.
The nurse selects the most appropriate course of action, who is the best to do interventions and who should be notified and when.
The seventh step of the clinical reasoning cycle
Evaluate outcomes.
Re-evaluate patient cues and current status to determine how effective nursing interventions have been and whether the patient’s condition has improved.
The eight step of the clinical reasoning cycle
Reflect on process and new learning.
Review refinement, improvement or change.
Deliberate, orderly and structured intellectual activity.
