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Learn MoreThis blog post is the second in a series about improving clinical judgment in newly hired nurses.
Educating new nurses to become better thinkers who can make sound clinical judgements isn’t easy. This was one of the focus areas during a recent HealthStream webinar, Improving Clinical Judgment in New Nurse Hires to Improve Patient Outcomes. The presenters for this webinar were Dr. Linda Caputi, a nursing education consultant, and Elease Caracci, Senior Product Manager at HealthStream. Caputi has over 30 years of teaching experience at all levels of nursing education. She is a certified nurse educator and a fellow in the NLN's Academy of Nursing Education. Having published numerous books, articles, and book chapters, Caputi’s latest work is Think like a Nurse: A Handbook, published in 2018. Elease Caracci joined HealthStream in 2016 with our acquisition of NurseCompetency and is now a senior product manager. Caracci's background in healthcare staffing, educational planning, and curriculum development, along with her management expertise, have made her a multi-faceted performer within the healthcare industry.
We Need a New Approach to Teaching Clinical Judgment
According to Caputi, “What we have been doing in nursing schools and what we have been doing after graduation, it just isn't working.” She offered that the literature shows that we have to figure this out, because “nurse-client care and nurse errors can be improved by enhancing clinical judgment skills in novice nurses.” The overall goal for improving thinking is “for the nurse to compile a holistic picture of the patient's condition, to recognize emerging clinical patterns, and to know when to intervene.”
What Is Lacking Is a System
Caputi described the typical approach to teaching the thinking part of clinical judgment as “Each faculty member teaches thinking in their own way using their own verbiage and their own way of asking questions.” She attributed successful learning to serendipity, and whether the nursing student was lucky enough to experience the right teacher and teaching method. Some standard instructional strategies “involve using case studies, simulations, discussion of patient's situation, and others.” While this can be a good way to go about it, Caputi advised, “They're only most helpful after the students have learned a thinking framework.” In other words, students may get to a stage where they are asked to apply clinical judgment without first learning what clinical judgment is. Caputi cautioned, “Therein lies the weak link.”
A Uniform Thinking Framework
Nursing students need to learn a “thinking framework that is taught at the beginning of the program, then use that framework.” Rather than allowing every member of the faculty to make individual choices about teaching, they need to be consistently and coherently using the same language for teaching critical thinking and clinical judgment. That way, nursing students will learn a uniform vocabulary. Ultimately, Caputi recommends that “It is best to incorporate a thinking framework or a model into your nursing residency or orientation program.” Once that model is learned, preceptors can use its same language, and so can orientees, which will make expectations and communication about thinking competencies work far more successfully.
Access the Webinar recording here.
HealthStream’s learning management system and comprehensive suite of competency management tools empower your healthcare workforce to deliver the best patient care.
View All Learning & PerformanceHealthStream offers performance learning management solutions to help develop your healthcare staff into leaders and reduce turnover.
View All ProductsHealthStream works with healthcare organizations to create engaging and high-quality training videos for your staff and management.
View All ProductsImprove care quality and save money by making informed decisions about your healthcare facility and staff with HealthStream's reporting analytics solution.
View All ProductsHealthStream's proven methods for the improvement and overall engagement of your healthcare staff foster a positive workplace and increase retention rates.
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View All ProductsDevelop next-level people for next-level care by prioritizing quality and safety improvements.
View All ProductsStandardize policy and procedure management with an automated, customized, and centralized system.
View All ProductsEstablish a culture of belonging with education supporting DEI, wellness, engagement, and leadership development.
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View All ProductsLearn about our advanced resuscitation training solutions. Our solutions are designed to help improve patient outcomes.
View All ResuscitationIn all areas of resuscitation, from neonatal to elderly care, clinical deterioration is a risk that can be avoided with the help of HealthStream's training programs.
View All ProductsNurture the skills of your nurses and medical staff to help mold them into effective leaders with development training from HealthStream.
View All ProductsExpand the decision-making skills and effectiveness of your healthcare workforce with HealthStream's clinical development programs and services.
View All Clinical DevelopmentMake sure your clinicians have the support they need to provide competent care with clinical competency training and development from HealthStream.
View All ProductsHealthStream’s learning management system and comprehensive suite of competency management tools empower your healthcare workforce to deliver the best patient care.
View All ProductsThe suite of healthcare onboarding solutions available from HealthStream aids in nurse retention and improved patient outcomes.
View All ProductsGive your healthcare staff the decision support and skills training they need with the online products available from HealthStream.
View All ProductsHealthStream leverages medical professional development in healthcare by providing staff training programs
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View All CredentialingOur affordable CVO credentialing services establish patient safety by enabling primary source verification for your healthcare organization.
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