Nursing Knowledge and Clinical Judgment

Study Notes

Nurses' Knowledge

Nurses possess four key types of knowledge: self (personal belief), theoretical (logical), ethical (morals, values), and practical (clinical experience).

Theoretical Knowledge

This type of knowledge involves understanding disease processes, medical treatments, and considerations of the client and family factors.

Clinical Judgment

Clinical judgment is defined by frameworks from NCSBN, Tanner, Benner, Tanner, and Chesla.

Tanner Model of Clinical Judgment

Noticing: Involves observation of client situations.
Interpreting: Understanding the clinical data and context.
Responding: Taking appropriate actions based on the interpreted information.
Reflection: Encompasses two types: in-action (moment-focused) and on-action (learning from past experiences).

NCSBN Clinical Judgment Framework

NCSBN assesses test takers' clinical judgment and decision-making abilities, fostering skills in recognition, analysis, prioritization, and applying knowledge effectively for safe decisions.

Layers of Clinical Judgment

Layer 0: Represents the fundamental clinical decision-making.
Layer 1: Comprises the intended outcomes of clinical judgment.
Layer 2: Involves forming, refining hypotheses, and evaluation.
Layer 3: Contains specific clinical judgment tasks.
Layer 4: Acknowledges the impact of individual and environmental factors on clinical judgment.

Noticing Process

The process involves developing an impression of the client situation based on expectations, knowledge, and past experiences.

Clinical Reasoning

Involves synthesizing information from various sources and experiences to create a patient care plan, relying on knowledge and experience for effective management.

Importance of Clinical Reasoning

Essential for developing clinical judgment and adapting quickly to changing healthcare environments. Inefficacy in reasoning can undermine nursing practice.

Critical Thinking

Defined by four elements: reasoned thinking, openness to alternatives, reflective ability, and pursuit of truth.

Critical Thinking Definition

Recognized as purposeful, analytic thinking that leads to informed decision-making.

Critical Thinking Skills

Key skills include gathering information, evaluating sources, recognizing gaps, critical evaluation of relevance, organizing information, and visualizing solutions among others.

Importance of Critical Thinking

Vital for managing complex situations, recognizing individual client needs, applying interdisciplinary knowledge, and adapting to rapidly evolving scientific bases in client care.

Critical Thinking Model

Comprises five steps: contextual awareness, inquiry through assessment, exploring alternatives, analyzing assumptions, and reflective skepticism in decision-making.

Nursing Process and Critical Thinking

While interrelated, not all nursing decisions arise from the nursing process, which serves as a structured problem-solving approach.

Nursing Process and Clinical Judgment

The nursing process aligns and overlaps with clinical judgment, facilitating decision-making and guiding reasoning for sound clinical outcomes.

Definition of Care

Care is specific and relational, defined by individual nurse-client encounters, preserving human dignity through thoughtful actions.

Components of Caring

Key components include knowing the patient, being present, doing for the patient, enabling independence, and maintaining well-being.

Full-Spectrum Nursing

Represents an integrated approach combining thinking, doing, and caring to achieve desired outcomes for clients.

Operationalizing Full-Spectrum Nursing

Involves critical thinking and theoretical knowledge, practical knowledge and nursing processes, self-awareness and ethical considerations, alongside client data and context.

Theoretical Knowledge in Nursing Education

College courses like microbiology and human growth and development contribute to a nurse's theoretical knowledge base, essential for practice.

Description

Explore the essential types of knowledge required for nursing, including theoretical, ethical, and practical knowledge. Understand the Tanner Model of Clinical Judgment and the NCSBN framework that enhances decision-making skills in clinical settings. Test your awareness of these fundamental concepts critical to nursing practice.

Nursing Knowledge and Clinical Judgment

Choose a study mode

Podcast

Questions and Answers

Which type of nurse knowledge includes self (personal belief), theoretical (logical), ethical (morals, values), and practical (clinical day)?

Which type of nurse knowledge requires an understanding of the pathophysiological aspects of the disease process?

What does NCSBN stand for?

What are the components of the Tanner model?

What are the two types of reflection in the Tanner model?

Layer 0 of clinical judgment is known as _____.

Layer 1 of clinical judgment is the compromise of _____.

Define clinical reasoning.

Critical thinking is essential for facing complex situations in nursing.

What is full-spectrum nursing?

College courses like microbiology are considered part of theoretical knowledge.