Related Experiment Videos
Clinical decision-making processes in perioperative nursing
C B Parker1, P Minick, C C Kee
1Emory HealthCare/Crawford Long Hospital, Atlanta, USA.
AORN Journal
|August 3, 1999
Summary
Expert perioperative nurses utilize a holistic approach called "Seeing the big picture: Engendered through caring" to significantly improve patient outcomes. This nursing insight highlights critical decision-making processes in operating room care.
Area of Science:
- Nursing
- Clinical Decision Making
- Patient Care Quality
Background:
- Expertise in perioperative nursing is crucial for optimal patient outcomes.
- Understanding the decision-making processes of expert nurses can enhance healthcare quality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To reveal the clinical decision-making processes employed by expert perioperative nurses.
- To identify the core elements contributing to expert nursing interventions in the operating room.
Main Methods:
- Phenomenological study design.
- In-depth interviews with six expert perioperative nurses (minimum 5 years experience).
- Analysis of described perioperative situations impacting patient outcomes.
Main Results:
- A distinct pattern of concern, labeled "Seeing the big picture: Engendered through caring," was identified.
- This pattern was consistently associated with advanced nursing assessments.
- Expert nurses' interventions demonstrably influenced positive patient outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Expert perioperative nurses utilize a complex, caring-driven approach to clinical decision-making.
- "Seeing the big picture" reflects a critical cognitive process in ensuring high-quality patient care.
- Registered nurses (RNs) make vital contributions to perioperative patient care quality.