A model of clinical judgment processes in psychiatric nursing

✍ Scribed by Mary Jo Regan-Kubinski

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1991
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 999 KB
• Volume: 5
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1532-8228
• DOI: 10.1016/0883-9417(91)90024-y

✦ Synopsis

This study addressed judgment processes in psychiatric nursing by analyzing reported use of clinical cues cited as being relevant in the process of making a nursing judgment. Using an exploratory, qualitative approach, data were collected by interviewing 15 subjects who provided 36 in-depth interviews upon completion of an intake interview. Comparative content analysis was used to determine the underlying structure in subject reports. A model depicting judgment processes is presented and discussed. Results suggest that although judgments were highly context-dependent, all subjects assessed data labeled as universals in the psychiatric nursing assessment: suicidality, depression, drug and alcohol use, and patient functional abilities. Similarities among subjects were noted in that presenting behaviors were most salient, a categorization process occurs within the judgment process, and patients are included in the judgment process. Finally, nursing judgments uncovered an action orientation rather than a labeling function.