NU280/NUR2868 Role and scope
Read the article “Thinking Like a Nurse: A Research-Based Model of Clinical Judgment in Nursing” by Christine Tanner, which is linked below:
Link to article
In at least three pages, answer the following questions:
What do you feel are the greatest influences on clinical judgment? Is it experience, knowledge, or a combination of those things?
In your opinion, what part does intuition play in clinical judgment? How do you think you’ll be able to develop nursing intuition?
Additional sources are not required but if they are used, please cite them in Ace homework tutors – APA format.
What do you feel are the greatest influences on clinical judgment? Is it experience, knowledge, or a combination of those things?
Based on Tanner’s model of clinical judgment in nursing, the greatest influences on clinical judgment are a combination of experience and knowledge working together synergistically. Tanner outlines five phases of clinical judgment: noticing, interpreting, responding, reflecting, and reasoning (Tanner, 2006 – Write a paper; Professional research paper writing service – Best essay writers). Experience plays a key role in the noticing phase, as nurses learn to recognize subtle changes in patients over time that may indicate a problem. However, knowledge is also important, as nurses must have a strong foundation of medical and nursing knowledge to properly interpret what they are noticing.
Research supports the interactive relationship between experience and knowledge. Benner, Tanner, and Chesla (1996) found that nurses develop from novice to expert as they gain experiences over time and are able to better understand and apply their knowledge in real-world patient care situations. Experience helps nurses notice things that they may not have picked up on as a new nurse. However, experience alone is not enough – nurses must combine their experiences with continual learning and knowledge acquisition. Knowledge is what allows nurses to properly interpret what they are noticing about a patient (Cappelletti, Engel, & Prentice, 2014: 2024 – Essay Writing Service | Write My Essay For Me Without Delay). If a nurse notices a change in a patient but does not have the medical knowledge to understand what that change could indicate, their judgment will be limited.
Both Tanner’s model and research on clinical judgment indicate that experience and knowledge have a synergistic relationship – one enhances the other. As nurses gain experience over time, they are better able to understand and apply their knowledge in real-world patient care situations. And as nurses increase their knowledge through continued education, their experiences become more meaningful and allow for more accurate clinical judgment. So in summary, the greatest influences on clinical judgment are experience and knowledge working together in an interactive relationship, with each one building upon the other. Neither experience nor knowledge alone is sufficient for highly developed clinical judgment.
In your opinion, what part does intuition play in clinical judgment? How do you think you’ll be able to develop nursing intuition?
While Tanner’s model does not explicitly address the role of intuition, research supports that intuition is an important part of clinical judgment. Intuition can be defined as the ability to understand something immediately without the need for conscious reasoning (Cappelletti, 2014: 2024 – Essay Writing Service | Write My Essay For Me Without Delay). Intuition plays a role in the noticing and interpreting phases of Tanner’s model. As nurses gain clinical experiences over time, they develop the ability to rapidly recognize patterns and subtle changes in patients, often without being able to consciously explain why they feel something is wrong (Benner et al., 1996).
Several studies have found a relationship between nursing experience and intuition. Experienced nurses are better able to trust their gut feelings that something may be wrong with a patient (Cappelletti, 2014: 2024 – Essay Writing Service | Write My Essay For Me Without Delay). Novice nurses, on the other hand, often lack confidence in their intuitions due to limited experience. As nurses gain experience over time through direct patient care, their intuitions become more accurate and they learn to trust their gut feelings (Tanner, 2006 – Write a paper; Professional research paper writing service – Best essay writers).
Nursing intuition can be developed through gaining varied clinical experiences, reflecting on those experiences, and increasing general and clinical knowledge (Cappelletti, 2014: 2024 – Essay Writing Service | Write My Essay For Me Without Delay). Some strategies for developing intuition include keeping a clinical journal to reflect on patient situations that triggered intuitive feelings, seeking preceptor feedback, and continuing education to expand clinical knowledge (Benner et al.,, seeking preceptor feedback, and continuing education to expand clinical knowledge (Benner et al., 1996). Simulation experiences may also help novice nurses learn to recognize patterns and develop initial intuitive skills (Tanner, 2006 – Write a paper; Professional research paper writing service – Best essay writers). While intuition cannot replace clinical reasoning, it acts as an important early warning system that can prompt nurses to further assess patients (Cappelletti, 2014: 2024 – Essay Writing Service | Write My Essay For Me Without Delay). In summary, intuition plays a key role in clinical judgment, and it can be developed over time through diverse experiences, reflection, and expanding knowledge.
In conclusion, the greatest influences on clinical judgment are a synergistic combination of experience and knowledge. Intuition also acts as an important component of clinical judgment that can be developed through gaining experience, reflecting on that experience, and continuing to expand one’s clinical knowledge. Both Tanner’s model and research support the interactive relationship between these factors in developing expert nursing clinical judgment. Continued experience, learning, reflection, and intuition all contribute to nurses’ ability to engage in highly developed clinical reasoning and decision making.
