[Clinical judgment is a schema. Conceptual proposals and training perspectives.]

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Cognitive Science
• Education Theory

Background:

• Clinical judgment is vital for nursing practice and education.
• Existing definitions are fragmented, lacking consensus on its cognitive and metacognitive aspects.
• The concept's theoretical origins are diverse and dispersed in literature.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the lack of consensus on clinical judgment.
• To propose a novel theoretical framework for understanding clinical judgment.
• To offer recommendations for enhancing clinical judgment in nursing education.

Main Methods:

• Literature analysis of scientific and professional viewpoints on clinical judgment.
• Theoretical argumentation proposing clinical judgment as a cognitive schema.
• Identification of characteristics inherent in schema theory applicable to clinical judgment.

Main Results:

• Clinical judgment exhibits characteristics of a schema, including diagnostic information, reasoning, decision-making, and metacognitive control.
• Viewing clinical judgment as a schema provides a unified perspective.
• This approach facilitates a deeper understanding of nursing activities.

Conclusions:

• Clinical judgment should be conceptualized as a schema to advance theoretical understanding.
• This schema-based analysis offers a path forward for nursing education and practice.
• Recommendations for training will be presented to develop clinical judgment.