Facilitating Clinical Reasoning
What is Clinical Reasoning?
There are numerous definitions of Clinical Reasoning in the literature. Jones et al (2009) define Clinical Reasoning as the process by which the nurse collects cues, processes the information, comes to an understanding of a patient problem or situation, plans and implements interventions, evaluate outcomes and reflects on and learns from the process.
Mattingley (1991) defined Clinical Reasoning in Occupational Therapy terms as involving more than the ability to offer explicit reasons that justify clinical decisions because it is based on tacit understanding and habitual knowledge gained through experience.
Linn et al (2012) describe Clinical Reasoning as a skill to be learnt rather than a concept to be understood.
Common themes in all definitions seem to be that it is a process which is multidimensional and complex which involves planning, intervention and reflection.