Task complexity and nursing expertise as factors in decision making

This study used an information-processing approach and verbal protocol methodology to describe the initial and overall approaches to planning used by six expert and five novice nurses for three patient cases of varying complexity. Subjects did not change their initial approaches significantly across the cases. Most experts consistently used broad initial approaches, but no clear pattern was evident in novices' use of initial approaches. Experts varied their overall approaches as a function of case complexity; novices did not. Most experts used opportunistic overall approaches in the more complex cases; that is, they jumped about, pursuing whatever was opportune at a given point in the planning process. However, they used systematic overall approaches in the least complex case. In contrast, most novices used opportunistic overall approaches in all cases. No relationship was found between overall approaches used and quality of plans developed. The findings support the cognitive model of planning proposed by Hayes-Roth and Hayes-Roth (1979) and the conclusion found in information-processing literature that the task itself is a major determinant of decision-making behavior.