A Qualitative Study of Clinical Decision-Making in Critical Care Nurses
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This study aimed to describe critical care nurses’ decision-making processes and activities in natural clinical settings. Data was collected using an exploratory, descriptive approach that included interview and observation methods. Twenty-four critical care nurses from three Jordanian hospitals participated in the study. Participants were observed to understand better the routine clinical decisions made by Intensive Care nurses.A Qualitative Study of Clinical Decision-Making in Critical Care Nurses
Approximately 150 hours of observation were spent in intensive care Units involved. Nurses were interviewed to learn how they made decisions about patients’ care. According to the study, the most common model nurses use to observe cues relating to the patient’s situation is the intuitive model. Data revealed that the decision-making process is ongoing and that experience is one of the most important factors influencing nurses’ decision-making abilities.
The data yielded five themes: ongoing process, autonomy, experience/power, joint/ethical decisions, and advocacy. Critical care nurses were observed to be sensitive to the patient’s verbal and nonverbal cues and could respond to these cues to keep the patient’s condition from deteriorating. With more experience, critical care nurses are more likely to be confident and effective when dealing with changing patient situations. A Qualitative Study of Clinical Decision-Making in Critical Care Nurses
