Clinical Judgment
This NCLEX-based model includes recognizing cues, analyzing cues, acting, and evaluating outcomes.
What is the NCSBN Clinical Judgment Model?
This ethical model determines rightness based on outcomes and the greatest good for the majority.
What is utilitarianism (goal-based ethics)?
This principle refers to a patient’s right to make informed decisions about their care.
What is autonomy?
This occurs when a nurse is unsure which moral principles apply to a situation.
What is moral uncertainty?
This type of thinking is systematic, purposeful, and reflective.
What is critical thinking?
This step involves noticing abnormal findings and relevant patient data.
What is recognizing cues?
This model emphasizes moral duty and respect for human dignity, regardless of outcomes.
What is deontological (duty-based) ethics?*
The ethical obligation to act in the patient’s best interest.
What is beneficence?
A situation with two or more equally “right” but conflicting moral choices.
What is an ethical (moral) dilemma?
Expert nurses differ from novices because they organize data and constantly reassess patient status.
What is non-linear thinking?
This phase requires comparing cues, identifying patterns, and determining meaning.
What is analyzing cues?
This ethical approach focuses on protecting individual patient rights, such as refusing treatment.
What is the rights-based (human rights) model?*
Avoiding actions that cause harm to the patient reflects this principle.
What is nonmaleficence?
Knowing the right action but being unable to act due to institutional or legal constraints
What is moral distress?
Automatically assuming there is only one right answer is a barrier to this process.
What is critical thinking?
This step involves selecting nursing interventions based on prioritized hypotheses.
What is taking action (or generating solutions and acting)?
Mandatory isolation of a patient with tuberculosis to protect the community reflects this ethical theory.
What is utilitarian ethics?
This principle focuses on fairness and equitable distribution of healthcare resources.
What is justice?
Resuscitating a dying patient without a DNR order despite believing it causes suffering is an example of this.
What is moral distress?
Mental discomfort caused by holding conflicting values simultaneously.
What is cognitive dissonance?
This characteristic of a critical thinker involves reflecting on one’s decisions to improve future care.
What is self-reflection?
This theory often has religious or moral foundations and includes the duty to “do no harm.”
What is deontological ethics?
Truth-telling that builds trust in the nurse–patient relationship reflects this principle.
What is veracity?
End-of-life care decisions most commonly trigger ethical dilemmas in nursing.
What are beginning- and end-of-life issues?
This attitude is essential for developing higher levels of critical thinking.
What is openness to new learning (or inquiry)?