PART 3 – PLACEMENT 1 – 2024 SEPT – Developing Confidence in Clinical Decision-Making

NMC Reflective Account Form

Reflective account:

What was the nature of the CPD activity and/or practice-related feedback and/or event or experience in your practice?
During my GP placement (October 2024), I encountered situations requiring me to apply clinical reasoning and make independent decisions within my scope of practice. This included identifying patient concerns, determining when escalation was necessary, and discussing findings with my supervisor. This experience helped me develop confidence in clinical decision-making and professional accountability.

What did you learn from the CPD activity and/or feedback and/or event or experience in your practice?
I learned that effective decision-making requires critical thinking, pattern recognition, and structured assessment. Applying Tanner’s Clinical Judgement Model (2006), I improved my ability to interpret patient symptoms, anticipate potential complications, and formulate appropriate responses. Additionally, my supervisor provided feedback on how to refine my clinical reasoning by integrating both theoretical knowledge and practical experience.

How did you change or improve your practice as a result?
As a result of this experience, I became more proactive in assessing patients, asking relevant clinical questions, and synthesising information efficiently. I also improved my ability to articulate my reasoning when presenting cases to senior staff, ensuring clarity and professionalism. Moving forward, I plan to engage in structured clinical decision-making training and mentorship opportunities to further refine this skill.

How is this relevant to the Code?

• Practise effectively: Enhancing clinical judgement ensures safe and effective patient care.
• Preserve safety: Developing confidence in decision-making helps reduce errors and improve patient outcomes.
• Promote professionalism and trust: Sound clinical judgement fosters trust with both colleagues and patients.

This reflection highlights the importance of clinical reasoning, structured decision-making, and confidence in professional nursing practice.

SOURCES USED:

The following reflections and feedback documents were used to develop this NMC reflection:

1. Leadership and Supervision in Nursing – A Reflective Analysis
   • Tanner’s Clinical Judgement Model (2006) and its role in clinical decision-making and structured assessments​.
   • Highlights the need for proactive patient assessment and pattern recognition​.
2. PART 3 – PLACEMENT 1 – 2024 SEPT – Episode of Care 1 (Part 3)
   • Describes experiences of assessing patient needs independently.
   • Provides insight into how feedback from the practice assessor helped refine clinical decision-making skills.
3. PART 3 – PLACEMENT 1 – 2024 SEPT – Managing Patient Expectations and Difficult Conversations in GP Practice
   • Supports development in professional accountability and handling complex patient interactions​.
   • Demonstrates how structured communication enhanced decision-making capabilities.