Intuition: A Concept Analysis

Area of Science:

• Nursing Science
• Clinical Decision Making
• Healthcare Education

Background:

• Nurses commonly utilize intuition for clinical decision-making, a swift, subconscious process integrating holistic patient knowledge.
• The rise of evidence-based practice (EBP) has led to the underappreciation of intuition in nursing.
• Intuition synthesizes information for improved patient outcomes, viewing patients holistically.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conceptually analyze intuition within nursing.
• To highlight the significance of intuition in nursing education, clinical practice, and patient care.
• To promote the integration and acceptance of intuition in nursing.

Main Methods:

• Walker and Avant's framework was employed for conceptual analysis.
• A comprehensive literature search was conducted from 1987 to 2014.
• Keywords included intuition, nursing, clinical decision making, patient outcomes, EBP, and analytical thinking.

Main Results:

• Nurses report using intuition, yet it lacks formal validation within the profession.
• Key attributes of intuition include unconscious, holistic knowledge acquisition without analytical processes.
• Consequences involve verifying intuition analytically and translating it into actionable nursing interventions.

Conclusions:

• This work supports intuition's role in nursing by clarifying its concept.
• It contributes to the nursing knowledge base and encourages holistic patient assessment.
• Recommends nurse educators promote the use of intuition in practice and education.