Flight nurse perceptions of factors influencing clinical decision making in their practice environment

This research project sought to describe the flight nurses perceptions about the factors that influence clinical decision making in their flight nursing practice, using a descriptive survey methodology. Data were collected with a specifically developed questionnaire to describe flight nurses’ perceptions of factors influencing clinical decision making. Data were analysed using descriptive statistical analysis for the quantitative data. Thematic analysis was applied to evaluate the unstructured descriptive data, from which themes emerged. Themes readily emerged as factors which participants perceived influenced clinical decision making in their flight nursing role and in the aeromedical role. These themes included pre-flight preparation, patient status, experience and education of the nurse, and the challenges associated with the physical and atmospheric environments. The majority of participants (73%) worked in more than one type of team configuration, for example, nurse only, nurse and doctor. Twenty one participants perceived there to be a difference in clinical decision making when working within different team configurations. Flight nurses identified a clear, perceived difference in clinical decision making based on the team configuration. Experience of other team members present was a contributing factor as to whether the flight nurse was the senior clinician or if the flight nurse was considered as the person with the specialist and technical knowledge of the aviation environment. All participants highly rated the importance of completing a flight nursing course as a professional development activity which had an influence on their clinical decision making. A flight nursing course was considered the minimum requirement for practising in this environment. Few participants had completed a postgraduate physical assessment paper, yet many identified diagnostic reasoning, advanced nursing diagnosis as some of the influences in their decision making. The findings add to the paucity of knowledge of clinical decision making in this context of flight nursing practice.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Nursing

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Grantor

Eastern Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2007

Author dc:creator

• Houliston, Sally

• New Zealand
• flight nurses
• aeromedicine
• clinical decision-making
• influences
• perceptions
• surveys

Statement dc:rights

• All rights reserved

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10652/6608

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:null:10652/6608