Clinical decision making within the nursing process among Utah nurses

Differences have been noted in various studies regarding the way nurses utilize the nursing process and the way they make decisions. This study was part of a larger, international research project originating in Finland. This portion of the study used an exploratory descriptive design examining relationships between education and experience among Utah nurses' and decisions made within the nursing process. Participants for this study included 167 Registered Nurses from three Utah hospitals, two local public health departments and two long-term care facilities. The participants, who have various levels of nursing education and years of experience, were asked to complete a 56-item questionnaire. The instrument focused on a systematic versus an intuitive approach to clinical decision making. The findings showed Utah nurses employ a systematic approach to decision making while utilizing the nursing process. The sample size, although small, provides a good foundation for a follow-up-study.