Developing Students' Clinical Reasoning Skills: A Faculty Guide.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Clinical Reasoning
• Clinical Judgment

Background:

• Safe patient care depends on nurses' clinical judgment.
• New nurse graduates often lack preparedness in clinical judgment.
• Nurse educators must develop clinical reasoning and judgment skills in students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify teaching strategies for developing clinical reasoning skills.
• To focus on enhancing students' clinical judgment.
• To guide faculty in integrating these skills into nursing curricula.

Main Methods:

• Literature review to identify known teaching strategies.
• Focus on strategies that intentionally teach clinical reasoning.
• Examination of methods for developing clinical judgment.

Main Results:

• A guide for faculty on integrating clinical reasoning and judgment.
• Discussion of initial steps for curriculum integration.
• Presentation of specific teaching strategies and implementation ideas.

Conclusions:

• Teaching clinical reasoning skills is crucial for developing clinical judgment.
• Frameworks and strategies like concept-learning, high-order questioning, and reflection are beneficial.
• Intentional integration into nursing curriculum is recommended for improved student outcomes.