Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 15, 2026
09:07
Experimental Research Examining How People Can Cope with Uncertainty Through Soft Haptic Sensations
Published on: September 16, 2015
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"It Depends:" Understanding and Learning to Manage Uncertainty in Practice.
Wendy D Greenwood1, Alison F Pittman, Susan J McKee
1Author Affiliations: College of Nursing, Texas A&M University, Bryan, Texas (Dr Greenwood, Dr Pittman, Dr McKee, Dr Rosen).
Nurse Educator
|October 16, 2025
Summary
This study introduces interactive scenarios to help nursing students build confidence and decision-making skills when facing clinical uncertainty. These methods enhance clinical reasoning and prepare them for real-world nursing practice.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Education
- Clinical Decision-Making
- Healthcare Professional Development
Background:
- Nurses frequently face clinical uncertainty, impacting their decision-making abilities.
- Uncertainty can cause self-doubt and inaction, especially among nursing students and novices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide nurse educators with guidelines for teaching students to manage uncertainty in clinical practice.
- To develop strategies that enhance nursing students' tolerance of uncertainty and decision-making confidence.
Main Methods:
- Proposed interactive teaching activities using unfolding clinical scenarios.
- Utilized color-coded cards for students to demonstrate clinical reasoning when faced with uncertainty.
Main Results:
- Strategies expose students to realistic uncertainty in a controlled educational setting.
- Fosters increased confidence and improved clinical judgment among nursing students.
Conclusions:
- The implemented strategies support the development of essential nursing competencies.
- Enhances students' ability to navigate complex clinical situations and make sound judgments.
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