Identifying reasoning skills for the selection of undergraduate nursing students: a focus group study

Abstract

Background: Reasoning is a cognitive skill crucial to making solid decisions and required from the beginning of nursing studies. However, information regarding the assessment of reasoning skills in nursing student selection is scarce. Aim: The purpose of this study is to identify which reasoning skills should be assessed in the selection of undergraduate nursing students, to generate new evidence for developing the practice of undergraduate nursing student selection. Design: The study is of a qualitative descriptive design. Methods: Four unstructured focus group interviews (n = 25) were undertaken with graduating nursing students (n = 16) and nursing experts (n = 9). The eight steps of the Clinical Reasoning Model by Levett-Jones et al. (2010) were used as a deductive framework to identify the main categories. Subcategories were formed inductively. Results: All eight steps of the clinical reasoning process were deductively identified representing reasoning skills in the selection phase: Consider the situation, Collect cues and information, Process information, Identify the problem, Establish goals, Take action, Evaluate outcomes and Reflect on the process of action and new learning. In addition, 15 subcategories were identified. The focus of the findings was primarily on the information processing skills. Nursing applicants’ ability to identify essential information and cues and to use them as a basis for decisions was emphasised. Conclusion: All the steps of the clinical reasoning process were identified as relevant and generic to the selection phase; however, it is suggested that the assessment of nursing applicants` reasoning skills should focus on the beginning of the clinical reasoning process, namely information processing skills. Future research should focus on the outcome measures of reasoning skills, both in theoretical and clinical settings. Impact statement: This study identifies reasoning skills which should be considered in the assessment of nursing applicants.