The process of clinical decision-making in chronic wound care: A scenario-based think-aloud study

To undertake a comprehensive investigation into both the process of information acquisition and the clinical decision-making process utilized by primary care nurses in the course of treating chronic wounds.

Scenario-based think-aloud method, enriched by the integration of information processing theory. The study was conducted within the framework of home care nursing organizations situated in Flanders, the Flemish speaking part of Belgium. A cohort of primary care nurses (n = 10), each possessing a minimum of one year of nursing experience, was recruited through the collaboration of three home care nursing organizations.

Two real-life clinical practice scenarios were employed for the interviews, with the researcher adopting the roles of either the patient or another clinician to enhance the realism of the think-aloud process. Each think-aloud session was promptly succeeded by a subsequent follow-up interview. The Consolidated criteria for Reporting Qualitative research checklist was followed to guarantee a consistent and complete report of the study.

Amidst noticeable variations, a discernible pattern surfaced, delineating three sequential concepts: 1. gathering overarching information, 2. collecting and documenting wound-specific data, and 3. interpreting information to formulate wound treatment strategies. These concepts encompassed collaborative discussions with stakeholders, while the refinement of wound treatment strategies was interwoven within both concepts 2 and 3.

Evident variations were identified in chronic wound care clinical decision-making, regardless of educational background or experience. These insights hold the potential to inform the development of clinical decision support systems for chronic wound management and provide guidance to clinicians in their decision-making endeavours.