Objective: The intent of this concept analysis is to offer a clear understanding of the definition, defining attributes, antecedents, and consequences of sound clinical judgment pertaining to nursing practice.
Background: Sound clinical judgment is essential in nursing because decisions made influence patient outcomes.
Design: This concept analysis guided by Walker and Avant's framework, dissects the concept to promote clarity and consensus.
Data source: CINAHL, ProQuest for Nursing and Allied Health, ERIC, and Health Source/Nursing Academic Edition databases were searched using the keyword clinical judgment.
Review methods: Articles in peer reviewed, scholarly journals written in English were considered from 1984 to 2017.
Results: The author concluded that decision-making is a surrogate term for clinical judgment. The attributes, antecedents, and consequences are discussed and supported by evidence. Cases illustrate the essence of the concept.
Conclusions: Clinical judgment is an ambiguous term that is synonymous with the term decision-making. It results from critical thinking and clinical reasoning. Using these findings, educators and administrators can use valid and reliable methods to identify the presence, foster the development, and measure the existence of clinical judgment in novice nurses with an ultimate goal to improve patient care.
Keywords: clinical judgment; clinical reasoning; concept analysis; critical thinking; decision making; nursing; problem solving.
© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Uppor W, Klunklin A, Viseskul N, Skulphan S. Uppor W, et al. Nurs Forum. 2022 Sep;57(5):932-937. doi: 10.1111/nuf.12757. Epub 2022 Jun 7. Nurs Forum. 2022. PMID: 35671387
Chilcote DR. Chilcote DR. Nurs Forum. 2017 Jan;52(1):62-67. doi: 10.1111/nuf.12162. Epub 2016 May 17. Nurs Forum. 2017. PMID: 27186848
Johansen ML, O'Brien JL. Johansen ML, et al. Nurs Forum. 2016 Jan-Mar;51(1):40-8. doi: 10.1111/nuf.12119. Epub 2015 Feb 2. Nurs Forum. 2016. PMID: 25639525
Turner P. Turner P. Nurs Educ Perspect. 2005 Sep-Oct;26(5):272-7. Nurs Educ Perspect. 2005. PMID: 16295305 Review.
Al Sabei SD, Lasater K. Al Sabei SD, et al. Nurse Educ Today. 2016 Oct;45:42-7. doi: 10.1016/j.nedt.2016.06.008. Epub 2016 Jun 18. Nurse Educ Today. 2016. PMID: 27429402 Review.
Kerns C, Wedgeworth M. Kerns C, et al. SAGE Open Nurs. 2024 Aug 18;10:23779608241274728. doi: 10.1177/23779608241274728. eCollection 2024 Jan-Dec. SAGE Open Nurs. 2024. PMID: 39161937 Free PMC article.
Dehghani A. Dehghani A. Int J Nurs Stud Adv. 2024 Mar 23;6:100191. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnsa.2024.100191. eCollection 2024 Jun. Int J Nurs Stud Adv. 2024. PMID: 38746803 Free PMC article.
Kwon SN, Park H. Kwon SN, et al. J Korean Acad Nurs. 2023 Dec;53(6):652-665. doi: 10.4040/jkan.23042. J Korean Acad Nurs. 2023. PMID: 38204348 Korean.
Son HK. Son HK. BMC Med Educ. 2023 Aug 24;23(1):601. doi: 10.1186/s12909-023-04567-9. BMC Med Educ. 2023. PMID: 37620797 Free PMC article.
Källestedt MS, Asp M, Letterstål A, Widarsson M. Källestedt MS, et al. Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being. 2023 Dec;18(1):2156659. doi: 10.1080/17482631.2022.2156659. Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being. 2023. PMID: 36482509 Free PMC article.