Using the Situated Clinical Decision-Making framework to guide analysis of nurses' clinical decision-making

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Clinical Practice
• Healthcare Quality Improvement

Background:

• Nurses' clinical decision-making significantly impacts patient outcomes.
• Existing literature details decision-making evolution and support strategies.
• Assessing clinical decision-making and supporting novice educators remain challenging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present the Situated Clinical Decision-Making framework for educators.
• To provide a structured approach for analyzing nursing decision-making.
• To guide educators in identifying issues and selecting support strategies.

Main Methods:

• Introduction of the Situated Clinical Decision-Making framework.
• Provision of guiding questions for assessment.
• Discussion of decision-making components, challenges, and errors.
• Inclusion of an exemplar for practical illustration.

Main Results:

• The framework offers a structured method for analyzing clinical decision-making.
• Guiding questions aid educators in assessment.
• The approach helps identify specific decision-making challenges and errors.
• It informs the selection of targeted strategies for skill development.

Conclusions:

• The Situated Clinical Decision-Making framework enhances the assessment of nursing decision-making.
• It empowers clinical educators to effectively support nurses and students.
• This structured approach is crucial for improving clinical decision-making capacity and patient care.