The Verbal Protocol: a research technique for nursing

This paper discusses the Verbal Protocol technique as presently used in the fields of psychology and computer sciences. It proposes that the technique is an appropriate design tool for studying clinical reasoning in many nursing contexts. An example is given, taken from a pilot study of a larger research project, of the use of the technique to demonstrate the nurse's thinking while assessing patient problems. Results show that the Verbal Protocol technique can reveal useful information concerning problem diagnosis in nursing and has the potential for further research into the cognitive behaviour underlying other stages of the nursing process.