Extending Tanner's framework: the digital clinical judgment model for nursing education

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Digital Learning
• Pedagogical Models

Background:

• Clinical judgment is a fundamental healthcare competency, often described by Tanner's model.
• Tanner's framework includes noticing, interpreting, responding, and reflecting phases.
• Pedagogical design for clinical judgment in digital and blended learning needs further exploration.

Purpose of the Study:

• Introduce the Digital Clinical Judgment Model (DCJM).
• Support teaching and learning of clinical judgment in digital nursing education.
• Provide a framework for educators in contemporary nursing education.

Main Methods:

• Developed through conceptual synthesis of Tanner's Clinical Judgment Model.
• Integrated educational theories: sociocultural learning, scaffolding, and deep learning.
• Incorporated empirical insights from digital nursing education during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Main Results:

• The DCJM integrates Tanner's four phases within three support layers: pedagogical structure, social-emotional support, and technological support.
• Outlines design conditions for meaningful clinical judgment engagement in digital, blended, and practice-based learning.
• Offers a pedagogical perspective, emphasizing environment design over outcome assessment.

Conclusions:

• Clinical judgment development should be supported by learning environment design, not solely assessed.
• The DCJM provides an evidence-based, practical framework for educators.
• Further research is required to validate the DCJM's practical utility and impact on student learning.