title: The role of clinician emotion in clinical reasoning: Balancing the analytical process.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This review paper identifies and describes the role of clinicians' memory, emotions and physical responses in clinical reasoning processes. Clinical reasoning is complex and multi-factorial and key models of clinical reasoning within musculoskeletal physiotherapy are discussed, highlighting the omission of emotion and subsequent physical responses and how these can impact upon a clinician when making a decision.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is proposed that clinicians should consider the emotions associated with decision-making, especially when there is concern surrounding a presentation. Reflecting on practice in the clinical environment and subsequently applying this to a patient presentation should involve some acknowledgement of clinicians' physical responses, emotions and how they may play a part in any decision made. Presenting intuition and gut-feeling as separate reasoning methods and how these processes co-exist with other more accepted reasoning such as hypothetico-deductive is also discussed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Musculoskeletal physiotherapy should consider the elements of feelings, emotions and physical responses when applying reflective practice principles. Furthermore, clinicians dealing with difficult and challenging presentations should look at the emotional as well as the analytical experience when justifying decisions and learning from practice.
authors.affiliation: University of Southampton, Faculty of Health Sciences, Building 67, Highfield, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK. Electronic address: neil.langridge@southernhealth.nhs.uk.
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Langridge
authors.affiliation: University of Southampton, Faculty of Health Sciences, Building 67, Highfield, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: University of Southampton, Faculty of Health Sciences, Building 67, Highfield, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pope
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003657:Decision Making; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059825:Physical Therapists / Q000523:psychology*; D024382:Professional Role / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Emotion; Memory; Physiotherapy; Reasoning