Nursing Process Clinical Decision Making

Definition of Clinical Decision Making

Clinical decision-making is defined in the work of Higuchi and Donald (2002) entitled "Thinking Processes Used by Nurses in Clinical Decision Making" to be "a problem-solving activity that focuses on defining patient problems and selecting appropriate treatment interventions." (p.145) Clinical decision marking is stated to be that which "forms the basis of expert clinical practice." (Higuchi and Donald, 2002, p.145) The nurse works in clinical practice settings as a member of a health care team and this requires that the nurse communicate decisions to other team members "to ensure the continuity and coordination of patient care." (Higuchi and Donald, 2002, p.145) The nurse is further required to document clinical decisions in the patient's charts and plans for care. Clinical decision-making, according to Higuchi and Donald has been "studied using the theoretical perspectives of decision theory and information processing. Higuchi and...
[ View Full Essay]