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. 2022 Dec;78(12):3869-3896.
doi: 10.1111/jan.15414. Epub 2022 Aug 20.

Scoping review: Diagnostic reasoning as a component of clinical reasoning in the U.S. primary care nurse practitioner education

Sheila K Smith  1 , Mary M Benbenek  1 , Caitlin J Bakker  2 , Denise Bockwoldt  3
Affiliations

Scoping review: Diagnostic reasoning as a component of clinical reasoning in the U.S. primary care nurse practitioner education

Sheila K Smith et al. J Adv Nurs. 2022 Dec.

Abstract

Aims: Diagnostic Reasoning (DR) is an essential competency requiring mastery for safe, independent Nurse Practitioner (NP) practice, but little is known about DR content included in NP education programs. The aims of this study were to identify whether and how the concept of DR is addressed in NP education.

Design: We conducted a scoping review on DR-related content and teaching innovations in U.S. primary care NP education programs, with implications for NP education programs worldwide. Concepts and principles with global applicability include: conducting focused and hypothesis-directed histories and exams, generating the problem statement, formulating the differential diagnosis, appropriate and relevant diagnostic testing, determining the working diagnosis and developing evidence-based, patient-centred management plans.

Data sources: N = 1115 articles retrieved from Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, and CINAHL for the period 2005-2021. Forty-one scholarly articles met inclusion/exclusion criteria.

Review methods: Data were extracted, synthesized and grouped by theoretical frameworks, content included, educational interventions and assessment measures.

Results: Most articles provided descriptions of approaches for teaching NP clinical or diagnostic reasoning. Ten papers directly referenced the current science and theory of DR.

Conclusion: The US NP education literature addressing DR is limited and demonstrates a lack of shared conceptualizations of DR. Whilst numerous components of DR are identifiable in the literature, a robust teaching/learning scholarship for DR has not yet been established in the US NP education literature.

Impact: Whilst primary care NP education programs are beginning to incorporate DR education into their curricula, little research has been conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of educational outcomes. Increased integration of DR content into NP education is needed, including increased educational research on teaching DR competencies.

Patient or public contribution: No patient or public contribution was included in this review, as the public is generally not familiar with DR or its teaching approaches.

Keywords: advanced practice nursing; clinical reasoning; diagnosis; diagnostic reasoning; literature review; nurse practitioner; nurse practitioner education; nursing; nursing curriculum; scoping review.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest by the authors.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Comparison of critical thinking, clinical reasoning, diagnostic reasoning, and clinical judgement.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Key elements of diagnostic reasoning.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta‐analyses (PRISMA) diagram.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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