Posted: October 31st, 2023

What do you feel are the greatest influences on clinical judgment?

In APA format and at least three pages, answer the following questions:

What do you feel are the greatest influences on clinical judgment? Is it experience, knowledge, or a combination of those things?

In your opinion, what part does intuition play in clinical judgment? How do you think you’ll be able to develop nursing intuition?

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Experience and knowledge both play significant roles in developing strong clinical judgment. However, intuition also serves as a vital component that often complements and enhances one’s experience and knowledge. With time and practice, nurses can learn to trust their intuition while also relying on evidence-based rationales.
Experience alone does not necessarily equate to excellent clinical judgment. One must critically reflect on past experiences to learn from both successes and mistakes (Fraser & Greenhalgh, 2001). Through self-analysis and understanding contextually relevant factors, nurses can gain deeper insights that strengthen future decision-making. Experience teaches one what to consider, while knowledge provides understanding of why particular factors should be weighed. Together, they form a foundation for intuition to emerge.
Intuition refers to “the ability to understand something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning” (Merriam-Webster, n.d.). In nursing, intuition involves more than just a gut feeling – it stems from pattern recognition developed through meaningful experiences, education, and clinical immersion (Cappelletti, 2014). Some view intuition as an innate skill, but research indicates it can be nurtured through open-minded self-reflection and seeking feedback from experienced colleagues (Dewar & Walker, 2020).
With experience, one learns to recognize subtle cues that may indicate a change in a patient’s condition before signs become overtly apparent (Offredy, 1998). Regularly evaluating previous assumptions against outcomes helps calibrate one’s clinical radar (Thompson et al., 2008). Documenting intuitive insights that later prove accurate, or conversely understanding why an intuition seemed off-base, strengthens one’s ability to trust future hunches (Dewar & Walker, 2020). Regularly self-assessing for implicit biases and considering alternative perspectives also supports intuition rooted in objectivity rather than preconceived notions (Green & Murphy, 2014).
In summary, clinical judgment arises from an interweaving of experience, knowledge, and intuition. While experience takes time to accrue, one can become more self-aware and thoughtful regarding past situations to promote wiser decision-making. Intuition grows from meaningful experiences reflected upon with an open and discerning mindset. Ongoing education helps nourish clinical knowledge, while seeking feedback and considering multiple viewpoints keeps intuition grounded yet expansive. Together, these elements can reinforce one another into a strong foundation for sound nursing judgment.
Cappelletti, A. (2014). Developing critical thinking skills using clinical simulation. Nurse Educator, 39(5), 256-258. https://doi.org/10.1097/nne.0000000000000078
Dewar, B., & Walker, S. (2020). Developing compassionate and critical clinical thinking in nursing students. Teaching and Learning in Nursing, 15(1), 16-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.teln.2019.08.003
Fraser, K., & Greenhalgh, T. (2001). Coping with complexity: Educating for capability. BMJ, 323(7316), 799–803. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.323.7316.799
Green, B. N., & Murphy, E. (Eds.). (2014). Encyclopedia of nursing education. Springer Publishing Company.
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Intuition. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved November 15, 2023, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intuition
Offredy, M. (1998). The use of cognitive continuum theory and thinking preferences in nursing education. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 28(2), 379-385. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2648.1998.00767.x
Thompson, C., Cullum, N., McCaughan, D., Sheldon, T., & Raynor, P. (2004). Nurses, information use, and clinical decision making–the real world potential for evidence-based decisions in nursing. Evidence-Based Nursing, 7(3), 68-72. https://doi.org/10.1136/ebn.7.3.68