Citically evaluate a decision made by a qualified nurse during a clinical placement

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Decision making essay

Decision making is important to nurses in today's society, ( Thompson et al 2002) as a number of policy and professional imperatives mean that nurses have to worry about the decisions they make and the way in which they make them. The government has produced several policy initiatives (DOH 1989, 1993a, 1993b 1913c,1994, 1995, 1996a, 1996b,1997, 2000, 2000) which have led to the creation of an evidence based health care culture ( Mulhall & Le May 1999). Thompson et al (2002) believe that poor decision making will no longer be acceptable, the government aim to examine professional performances and the outcome of clinical decision making for the first time. Evidence based practice will no longer be an optional extra but a requirement of all health care professionals.

The aim of this essay is to analyse and evaluate a decision made by a nurse in a community practice.

Group of nurses, Base Hospital #45

Nurse log, Quinault Rain Forest Nature Trail

Nurse Practitioner

The author will highlight why she chooses the particular issue and how it is important to nursing. The author will provide an overview of two general approaches to decision making, rational and phenomenological, by evaluating and analyzing them. The author will consider decision making theories, and try to apply them to the decision making process witnessed in her community placement. She then aims to show, how they should or could have been used as an aid in effective decision making. She will also consider influencing factors that effected the decision making process. A pseudonym is used throughout the essay to protect the patient's identity, as stated in NMC (2002) code of professional conduct section 5.

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The patient chosen for the purpose of this essay will be referred to as Jo. Jo is 53 year old women who suffer with rheumatoid arthritis. This also resulted in Jo...