Phenomenography: an alternative approach to researching the clinical decision-making of nurses

In this paper, the limitations associated with current research approaches to the study of clinical decision-making are discussed. Research examining the clinical decision-making of nurses and doctors, and associated work in information procession, is reviewed. It is concluded that although the research is valuable in furthering the understanding of clinical decision-making, there are limitations associated with the current research approaches. The limitations are primarily related to the research approaches employed and the concentration on experienced nurses. The research fails to examine the development of clinical decision-making ability and the learning that occurs in practice. Phenomenography is proposed as an alternative approach. The aim of phenomenography is to describe an individual's perception of a phenomenon. Phenomenography is relevant to the study of clinical decision-making as it is concerned with variation in experience. When applied to the study of new graduate nurses, phenomenography can provide valuable information in relation to individual differences in learning that arise from experience, what factors influence learning and how they affect clinical decision-making ability.