From a Medical Problem to a Health Experience: How Nursing Students Think in Clinical Situations

BACKGROUND: Nursing clinical judgment (NCJ) is a core competency that must be developed in nursing education. The objective of this study is to explore the development of NCJ among undergraduate nursing students, according to teachers and preceptors. METHOD: The collaborative group, composed of three educators, three nurse preceptors, and one researcher, analyzed six situations in which students in the program were assessed for NCJ. RESULTS: Key learnings and development indicators were identified for each of the three levels of NCJ development. Reasoning process, type of relationships with patients and their families, perception of the nursing role, and reflection are parameters of NCJ that exert a mutual influence and evolve from one level to the next. CONCLUSION: Knowing this evolution can help educators to plan the curriculum, select effective teaching methods, and provide feedback that will support NCJ development. For students, these developmental markers support self-evaluation with a view to self-regulation.