Rethinking clinical judgment

In this paper, I've attempted to explicate ways in which the cognitive models rooted in the rational tradition have dominated our thinking about clinical judgment in nursing--both in framing research into so-called "cognitive processes" and in shaping our educational practices. Using exemplars from a study of clinical expertise in nursing, I have described several aspects of clinical judgment which cannot be accounted for by the cognitive models. I've highlighted assumptions underlying our educational practices which are challenged by our new understanding of clinical judgment and offered one illustration of an alternative approach to teaching which may be relevant for RN education.