Competency Statement: The nursing student demonstrates the ability to accurately assess, interpret and respond to individual patient data in a systematic and timely way.
Knowlegde
The nursing student:
- Discusses the relationship between patient safety and clinical reasoning
- Identifies examples of assessment frameworks that can be used to systematically collect patient data and inform clinical reasoning
- Differentiates between normal and abnormal vital signs and other critical patient data
- Outlines the pathophysiology underpinning abnormal patient data
- Discusses the impact of situational awareness on clinical reasoning and patient safety
- Discusses the importance of lifelong learning to safe and effective clinical reasoning
- Reflects on and discusses how cognitive biases can influence clinical reasoning
Skills
The nursing student:
- Uses a systematic and logical process for clinical reasoning
- Conducts a comprehensive and focused nursing assessment using appropriate frameworks and techniques
- Refers to a range of patient data including handover reports, medical records, the person’s social and medical history and evidence-based guidelines
- Elicits the person’s concerns and understanding of the situation
- Differentiates between normal and abnormal vital signs and other critical patient data
- Analyses, synthesises and interprets assessment data accurately and systematically
- Notices subtle changes in a patient’s condition that signal the need for further investigation, immediate clinical review or rapid response
- Uses early warning charts and systems appropriately
- Anticipates, recognises and responds appropriately to clinical deterioration
- Matches the features of the person’s presentation with other similar or previous patient encounters
- Identifies priority patient problems based on accurate and complete interpretation of available patient data
- Plans and implements nursing care both autonomously and in consultation with other members of the healthcare team
- Evaluates progress towards expected outcomes by re-assessing the person’s condition
- Critically reflects on and learns from previous experiences to improve clinical reasoning skills
Clinical reasoning is a cyclical process by which nurses collect cues, interpret the information, come to an understanding of a patient problem or situation, plan and implement interventions, evaluate outcomes, and reflect on and learn from the process. Clinical reasoning requires a critical thinking disposition and is influenced by the nurse’s assumptions, attitudes and cognitive biases.