Clinical judgment in new nurse graduates: identifying the gaps

Abstract

Objectives: Clinical judgment has been identified as a key component of clinical practice. We sought to measure the elements of clinical judgment in new nurse graduates to identify future educational interventions. Methods: Lasater’s clinical judgment rubric was adapted and distributed to nurse preceptors at two significant health care systems in central Illinois. Results: One hundred and six surveys were returned and one hundred and five of those were included in the study. New nurse graduates were found to be the lowest ranking in ability to identify significant data and calm, confident responses. Conclusions: The findings can guide nurse educators to create innovative, targeted educational interventions to improve students’ ability to identify important pieces of data and respond to challenging situations in a self-assured manner. Implications for international audience: Identifying and addressing the gaps to improve students’ clinical judgment may facilitate NCLEX success and entry to practice.