Nursing intuition

Nursing intuition is a term used to describe a nurse's ability to quickly and unconsciously apply one’s gained experience, ability to identify patterns, and physical sensations, rather than deliberate conscious logic, as a contributor to the medical decision-making process through instinct. This skill is generally gained naturally through experience and time rather than through direct instruction. Other contributing factors include emotional intelligence, having a strong theoretical background, and understanding one’s intuitive feelings. It is regarded as being particularly valuable in emergencies, wherein the results of split-second decisions can have outsized outcomes on a patient's health. Research has identified “nurse worry,” an intuitive sense of concern about a patient’s condition, as a potential early indicator of patient deterioration even before measurable vital-sign changes occur. Although the natural instincts of the individual nurse often play an important role in the development of their intuitive responses to situations, nursing intuition is often regarded as the combination of instinct, critical thinking, and experience.

Intuition relies upon subjective analyses that may often be based on empathy rather than upon conscious and objective reviews of clinical test results and other quantitative medical evidence. As a result, there is some caution in the medical field about giving too much credence to intuition in place of firm medical evidence. In addition, intuition can be difficult to measure, meaning that researchers are uncertain about how to evaluate, develop, and promote its role as an effective medical tool. Research has focused on developing methods to evaluate intuition scientifically, including studies of metacognition and clinical decision-making models.

Overview

The study of how and when intuition is used in the medical field is still developing but has been explored in nursing research since the late twentieth century. For many years, medical professionals were reluctant to acknowledge their use of intuitive responses due to a lack of understanding about how to evaluate such skills. Researchers were also concerned about the public perception of a skill not tied to traditional educational programs or evaluation practices. However, in the twenty-first century, there has been an increased focus on the role that intuition plays in medicine, particularly as it relates to the nursing profession.

Initial studies have shown a direct correlation between the relative experience of a nurse and their likelihood to rely on intuition to make decisions. Veteran nurses are far more likely to trust and use their intuition more effectively. Despite such studies, however, intuition is still viewed with wariness as a clinical instrument, and most nurses do not openly admit to relying upon it as an important determinant when making decisions.

Some studies have concluded that a combination of known medical evidence and intuition is often a highly effective means of making medical decisions, particularly when employed by experienced medical professionals. As a result, some facilities have sought to incorporate intuition more directly into how nurses and other medical professionals make decisions. Increasingly, research has suggested that an individual's clinical experience, pattern recognition, and reflective practice contribute to a person's long-term potential success as a nurse.

However, some experts have suggested that nursing intuition is not a natural-born skill but rather the cumulative result of experience born from years of treating patients. As a result, the development of nursing intuition may be best grounded and developed through programs intended to promote critical thinking and crisis management abilities. Such practices may allow for the promotion of accurate and deliberate medical assessments that may be described as intuition but are actually the confident application of learned skills to the informed decision-making process with contributions from accumulated experience, sound clinical judgment, and cue recognition. These programs are also meant to encourage self-confidence in nurses so that they are more likely to trust their ability to make good assessments. Such heightened self-confidence has also been shown to improve a nurse's ability to interact with patients and discover important details that may be invaluable in directing medical decisions.

Bibliography

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