title: Toward a Theory of Intuitive Decision-Making in Nursing.
abstract: The author in this article presents a theory of decision-making in nursing, specifically a middle-range theory of intuitive decision-making in nursing created through the synthesis of Patricia Benner's model of skill acquisition in nursing and Damasio's somatic marker hypothesis. The author proposes that Damasio's somatic state is equivalent to what Benner has identified as intuition. When a nurse is faced with a decision, intuition, if developed, is a somatic state that creates a measurable physiological biasing signal (skin conductive response) that helps in making an advantageous decision. Research, educational, clinical and theoretical implications are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Baylor University.
authors.forename: Lesle Karns
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Payne
mesh_terms: D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D008568:Memory; D016294:Models, Nursing; D009736:Nursing Process; D012879:Skin Physiological Phenomena
keywords: continuing nursing education; decision-making; intuition; nurse education; nursing theory