Clinical Reasoning
Original Editor - Rachael Lowe
Lead Editors -
Introduction[edit | edit source]
Clinical Reasoning is the process by which a therapist interacts with a patient, collecting information, generating and testing hypotheses, and determining optimal diagnosis and treatment based on the information obtained. It has been defined as “an inferential process used by practitioners to collect and evaluate data and to make judgments about the diagnosis and management of patient problems"[1]
Clinical reasoning is “the sum of the thinking and decision-making processes associated with clinical practice”[2][3]). During this process, the therapist analyses multiple variables contributing to the patient’s limited physical capacity (the ability to execute a task or action in a standard environment) and performance (what the patient can do in his or her own current environment). The key elements of the process include generation of hypotheses of factors assumed to underlie the limitations of physical capacity and performance and postulation of the magnitude of those factors. The therapist interacts with the patient and other persons involved in the patient care (family, other health care professionals) and guides the patient in finding meaningful goals and health management strategies[2]. All decisions and actions need to be made in line with professional ethics and community expectations[3].
Approaches[edit | edit source]
Hypothesis-Oriented Algorithm for Clinicians II (HOAC II)
International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)
Resources[edit | edit source]
getPTsmart - Tool to engage in the teaching and learning of clinical reasoning in a contemporary, time-independent environment that serves as a link between the classroom and clinical practice.
Recent Related Research (from Pubmed)[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Maggi Banning. The think aloud approach as an educational tool to develop and assess clinical reasoning in undergraduate students. Nurse Education Today, 2008, 28, 8–14
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Edwards I, Jones M, Carr J, Braunack-Mayer A, Jensen G. Clinical reasoning strategies in physical therapy. Phys Ther. 2004;84:312-35.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Higgs J, Jones M. Clinical decision making and multiple problem spaces. In: Higgs J, Jones MA, Loftus S, Christensen N. Clinical reasoning in health professions. Amsterdam: Elsevier;2008. p. 4-19.
