Clinical Judgment

Clinical judgment in nursing: 

The cognitive process is where nurses use reasoning, critical thinking, and decision-making to solve problems.

Clinical judgment outcomes: Incorporate prior knowledge, current research, and clinical experience in decision-making

1.)    Begin to use the steps of the nursing process to provide care and promote health

2.) Identify the role of evidence and appropriate sources in guiding decision-making 

Clinical judgment is an essential concept in nursing. It allows nurses to use their prior knowledge and apply it in real-world situations. I personally feel that I have increased my clinical judgment throughout this course. While it is still something I am actively working to improve, I feel I have progressed from having a general thought process (non-nursing) without focusing on details to developing nursing clinical judgment that incorporates understanding and applying the Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation,  nursing process. 

Key concepts like evaluation and planning tied into priority concept activities have helped me apply what I have learned to potential real-life scenarios. For example, on the activity sheets, we developed SMART goals, which stand for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely. This portion of the priority concept activity is very relevant to health promotion because it guides us in setting realistic goals to improve a patient’s health. These SMART goals can be written either for the nurse’s interventions and care plans or directly for the patient, as we help them set goals for their own well-being.