Perceptions of senior nursing students regarding clinical decision-making

Objectives: to understand the perceptions of senior students in an undergraduate nursing course at a nursing college in Lisbon regarding skills related to clinical decision-making learned during their initial training. Methods: qualitative study, of an exploratory and descriptive nature. Data collection occurred by carrying out a focus group with eight senior students in an undergraduate nursing course. Data treatment applied content analysis, performed with twebODA'software. Results data were analyzed according to the four dimensions of Tanner's model of clinical judgment, and noticing and interpreting stood out as the most influential in clinical decision-making. Theoretical and clinical knowledge, validation of care planning, prioritization, and capacity to discuss and debate about situations emerged as the most representative skills. Final Considerations: students make decisions by means of a complex process by using the knowledge and skills learned during their training.