Clinical Decision Making using Evidence Based Practice (EBP): Case Study In this case study, a 45-year-old, African American women is dealing with attempting to lower her HgbA1C to better manage her diabetes, weight, and to prevent the development of cardiovascular disease. This patient currently follows a diabetic diet, exercises daily, and takes an 800-mg dose of metformin daily. However, her HgbA1c has only decreased by one percentage point and her fasting glucose levels are 160-190 mg/dl.…
Over the last 20 years an increasing development of the understanding of how physicians combine medical knowledge and clinical skills in the clinical judgement process. This process, the creation of a problem representation referring to what the physician thinks occurring with the patient based on the synthesis and integration of two key elements. The first element includes the information collected from the patient through an accurate and the complete medical history. The second element includes a focused physical examination, and the physician’s working medical knowledge.…
An FNP is involved in direct care activities such as advanced physical assessments, deciphering laboratory data, performing diagnostic procedures, and implementing pharmacological and holistic therapies which are a part of scientific practice competencies (The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties [NONPF], 2014, p. 3). Using these competencies, a FNP can derive new interventions and develop new scientific information that can help the profession advance. It is the duty of the FNP to introduce new knowledge into the field. The FNP uses critical thinking not only in assessments but in the act of decision making in order to provide adequate interdisciplinary care. An FNP must demonstrate leadership capabilities while collaborating with others.…
The article, “When Evidence Says No, but Doctors Say Yes,” by David Epstein analyzes how doctors use treatments and procedures by demand or because they have been using them for so long. He presents the argument as to why these treatments can do more harm than good, and why doctors need to look at the evidence about the treatments to make sure they are actually beneficial. Epstein talks about two patients, and how in both stories neither of the patients needed stents. By doing some research and looking at treatments that can be done before surgery, one patient escaped with his life intact. The other patient; however, passed away after being hospitalized for a period of time.…
In this scenario, the nurse must critically assess the situation…
21). The purpose of critical thinking in nursing arises from the complex nature of client care; often the client is unable to articulate the underlying reason of their condition, which will require the nurse to provide a solution with limited information (Coutts, 2014). The rise in patient complexities presents increasing pressure and accountability for nurses to make informed decisions (Coutts, 2014; Lauri & Salantera, 1995). Due to the ambiguous nature of nursing and complex client diagnoses, nurses must apply insightful reasoning, intuition, theoretical knowledge, and previous experiences as their guide to making a decision (Banning, 2008; Blum, 2010; Coutts, 2014; Gillespie & Paterson, 2009; Lauri & Salantera, 1995; Payne, 2015; Tanner,…
American Sentinel University The Use of Clinical Reasoning in Advanced Physical Assessment The advancement of medicine, complexity of diseases, and the nurses’ ability in becoming increasingly autonomous, requires nurses to be prompt in solving problems. The expectations of the health care industry and society of shortened hospital stay, the need for nurses to do more in less time, and the overall intensity of the nursing care provided to patients continues to affect how nurses think and deliver patient care. The constantly changing world of health care mandates nurses to utilize clinical reasoning to guide their practice. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the relationship between clinical reasoning and clinical decision making, consider clinical reasoning in advance physical assessment and identify the nurses’ use of critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and clinical judgment.…
Effective clinical reasoning skills are essential in nursing; an estimated half of all clinical adverse events are attributed to errors in clinical decision-making (Levett-Jones et al., 2013). Tanner (2006) defined clinical reasoning as the process via which nurses arrive at clinical decisions by weighing evidence, pattern recognition, using intuition, selecting from alternatives and patient safety. This clinical reasoning cycle (CRC) consists of 8 cyclical steps namely, consideration of the patient’s situation; collecting of cues and information; processing of information; identification of problems and issues; establishing objectives; taking action; evaluation of outcomes; and reflecting on processes and new learning (Levett-Jones, et al.,…
My current clinical assignment is at St. Joseph’s Candler Hospital from 8:00am to 4:00pm in the main department. Technically, I have completed my second week at clinic, and overall it went very well. I completed one successful competency within the first week of my assignment. The competency was of a portable clavicle performed on a two-week-old infant. The purpose of the exam was to detect any fractures in the clavicles from the birth procedure.…
The aim of this essay is to discuss and assess a given case scenario where, the chosen patient admitted with acute headache and vomiting with intermittent confusion. This essay will define clinical judgement and decision-making; discuss importance of decision-making process in the assessment of patient’s care. It will also mention some of the theories about clinical decision-making in nursing practice and explain Tanner’s 2008 clinical judgement model that will apply in critically reviewing patient’s complex needs and assessing care plan and interventions. Further, this essay will demonstrate how effective sharing decision-making might enhance patient’s recovery, prevent deterioration. There also NHS mantra “no decision about me without me”…
Introduction Most simply, clinical decision making may be defined as the process of choosing between alternatives or options (Thompson & Stapley, 2011) more accurately, clinical decision making is a highly complex process where data is gathered and evaluated, and then a decision, judgment, or intervention is formulated (Pirret, 2007), it comprises of cognitive, intuitive and experiential processes (Pugh, 2002). This essay will discuss commonly used decision making models and their stages as defined by Elstein et al (1978) and their application to clinical decision making processes. Furthermore, the importance of clinical decision making for healthcare practitioners and paramedics will be explored. Decision Making Models and Their Application…
Introduction When making clinical decisions, nurses need to consider many different aspects including clinical knowledge, clinical standards, experience and patient-centered decision making. It requires nurses to have a high level of critical thinking. Professional boundaries which acts as limits to maintain therapeutic relationship between professionals and clients can be regarded as a basis of clinical decision making. In the given scenario, Sam Mills is an RN who works with five general practitioners and two other RNs. Sam’s neighbor, Lee, came for redressing chronic wound one day.…
A nurses critical thinking skills are a vital part in their practice; “Nurses ' thinking processes extend beyond rules and procedures as participants used patient data and interdisciplinary professional knowledge to provide safe and effective care” (Eisenhauer, Hurley, & Dolan,…
Critical thinking involves identifying the problem, determining the solution and the best way to reach that solution. So a person who thinks critically concern about an event that was it effective and might have done in a better way. However as a nurse, should have the ability to make clear and correct decisions even at an immediate situation. Therefore it is vital to develop those skills in nurse’s education where some critical thinking skills come naturally. For instance when a nurse undergoing with a treatment of patient, wound treatment nurses are able to make instant decisions under pressure.…
A high quality nursing care requires a well integrated knowledge, critical thinking, problem solving skills, and moreover the ability to recognize and apply these principles and concepts in the required clinical situations. Therefore the ability of students to formulate the appropriate mental models in different clinical scenarios can be used as an effective assessment tool for the students. There are two types of mental models in learning: General mental model and situational model learning (Azzarello & Wood, 2006). General Mental Model Learning:…