Frames and Perspectives in Clinical Nursing Practice: A Study of Norwegian Nurses in Acute Care Settings

Nursing gaze as framework for nursing practice: a study from acute care settings in Korea, Norway and the USA

The aim of the study was to investigate the nature of nurses' clinical practice in terms of what frames their clinical engagement, and to examine how clinical constructions were made. The study is based on a descriptive design using a clinical field approach in acute care settings in Korea, the USA and Norway. A theoretical sample consisted of between four and six Registered Nurses in each country: up to three from medical wards and three from surgical wards. Data were collected through participant observation of and in-depth interviews with the nurses, as well as from nursing documentation about the patients. The result showed an overall model of a theory of nursing practice consisting of three processes: nursing gaze, clinical construction and clinical engagement. This first article outlines the overall descriptive theory of nursing practice and provides a detailed description of the first aspect: the nursing gaze. The model of the structuring of nursing gaze is set within the philosophy of nursing, consisting of the ontology of client and the ontology of practice. The dimensions of normality and needs constitute the ontology of client, and the dimension of clinical expectations constituted the ontology of practice.

Thinking like a nurse: a research-based model of clinical judgment in nursing

This article reviews the growing body of research on clinical judgment in nursing and presents an alternative model of clinical judgment based on these studies. Based on a review of nearly 200 studies, five conclusions can be drawn: (1) Clinical judgments are more influenced by what nurses bring to the situation than the objective data about the situation at hand; (2) Sound clinical judgment rests to some degree on knowing the patient and his or her typical pattern of responses, as well as an engagement with the patient and his or her concerns; (3) Clinical judgments are influenced by the context in which the situation occurs and the culture of the nursing care unit; (4) Nurses use a variety of reasoning patterns alone or in combination; and (5) Reflection on practice is often triggered by a breakdown in clinical judgment and is critical for the development of clinical knowledge and improvement in clinical reasoning. A model based on these general conclusions emphasizes the role of nurses' background, the context of the situation, and nurses' relationship with their patients as central to what nurses notice and how they interpret findings, respond, and reflect on their response.