NUR1048 Assignment: Clinical Judgment and Decision Making

Analysis of own clinical judgment and decision making in regards to a paper-based patient scenario

Your analysis for this module is based on a paper-based patient scenario (vignette) that you
either receive or develop during semester in class. You will be asked to ‘think aloud’ about
a patient scenario and provide your judgments and decisions for this case (think aloud
protocol). Choose one (or more, max. 3) clinical judgment and decision-making topic/s
from your think aloud protocol, provide the theoretical background using relevant research
and literature sources to these topics. Then, analyse your answers from the think aloud
protocol relating to the chosen topics and theoretical background i.e. Why would you judge
and decide like that? How did you come to this judgment and/or decision? What theoretical
concepts/notions influenced your judgment and/or decision, and why? Explore the
alternatives such as different judgments and decisions, which could be suitable in this case
within the analysis. Always provide your rationale/s. Reference to relevant research
literature is to be made throughout the entire paper. The subject of the case analysis is you
and your clinical judgments and decision-making with regards to the paper-based patient
scenario.

Some examples as to the topics and underlying concepts, which you may want to explore
are as follows: Modes of engagement (e.g. paternalistic, information-based, shared
decision making), use of clinical information in CJDM e.g. quantitative and qualitative
ques / data, observation, decision making models e.g. information processing, cognitive
continuum theory, recognition-primed decision making, Tanner’s model of clinical
judgment in nursing, using one’s experience/intuition in CJDM, organisational /
environmental factors that influence CJDM (e.g. authority, autonomy, role of student
nurses in CJDM, uncertainty in judgment and decision making), decision-making
frameworks e.g. code of conduct, NMBI decision-making framework, AI / computer-aided
decision-making, assessment scores and scales, wearable technologies, team-based
decision-making, consensus-driven decision-making.

REMEMBER: that YOU are the subject of this analysis, NOT the patient nor other third parties.

The analysis is about YOUR clinical judgments and decision-making. The patient/service-user and/or others are the means by which your own judgments and

decision-making will be explored within this analysis.

Anonymity of all involved is to be preserved.

You may write in 1st person as in ‘I would use a decision making aid to assess the
patient’ rather than ‘the author would use a decision making aid to assess the patient’.

Total word limit: approximately 2500 words (word count for patient scenario, think aloud
and reference list may vary)

Word limit for analysis: within the assignment, the analysis section has to take up the largest proportion i.e approximately 1000 words Suggested structure for approx. 2500 word assignment (with approx. word limits for sections):

● Introduction (approx. 150 words)

● Patient scenario (N/A)

● Think aloud protocol/answers (your judgments and decisions for the patient scenario) (N/A)

● Choice of one to max-3 clinical judgment and decision making topic/s from your think aloud protocol (N/A, but no more than a sentence or two)

● Theoretical background to the 1-3 topics chosen for analysis (approx.. 500 words) Analysis of think aloud protocol with reference to relevant research literature throughout (approx. 1000 words)

● Conclusion (approx.. 150 words) o Include relevance to own future practice i.e. next practice placement

● References (N/A)