Clinical reasoning during simulation: comparison of student and faculty ratings

A recently developed tool, the Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric (LCJR), was used to evaluate nursing students' clinical reasoning during simulated patient care scenarios. For two semesters, students and nursing faculty completed the clinical reasoning tool after participating in and observing students' reactions to simulated emergent patient simulations. Scores were compared between nursing students and faculty and between programs, associate (AS) and baccalaureate of science (BS). Students' scores differed statistically based on program, BS means greater than AS, but student and faculty ratings were rarely significantly different. Additional research across multiple programs for a larger sample size and additional testing of the clinical reasoning tool are needed. To promote more realistic self-appraisals, students may need more opportunities to self-assess clinical reasoning behaviors in conjunction with feedback on performance from faculty throughout the nursing program.