Module 5 - clinical decision making

I found the lecture by Dr. Kahneman most fascinating.  It reaffirmed the need to critically examine why I think what I think.  Prior to gaining a secondary education I must admit I rarely thought about what I was thinking and why.  Now - after years of critical thinking lectures, I find myself asking why I decided what I just decided.  I actually think this is beneficial as it has allowed me to recognize prejudices and flaws in my thinking. The awareness of  prejudices and thinking flaws helps me to lesson their impact on the decisions I make.

How does this impact my clinical decisions?  I find myself asking those same questions - why am I thinking this or that?  The lecture by Dr. Kahneman and the readings for this unit have made me realize there in an impact from my own past experiences in the clinical decisions I make.  For example I know, from experience, that a patient who takes certain drugs will need more Propofol to achieve a sedated state.  This decision is based on experience not intuition. As I gain greater experience then my thinking moves from the slower reflective system into the fast system - the one Dr. Kahneman calls intuitive but I would rather call experience.

I also hope that there will be made available more decision support systems with a nursing focus.  I can always use suggestions in how to best treat my patients - even with the little things.