INTUITION - A CRITICAL-REVIEW OF THE RESEARCH AND RHETORIC

This paper will explore the concept of intuition in nursing from an ac ute care and community nursing perspective. It will consider definitio ns of intuition and examine the research which can inform our understa nding of this important component of decision making. In the current h ealth service climate, which demands measurable research-based evidenc e, the involvement of intuition as an element of judgement is often de nigrated. The result is that many nurses are being forced to be covert in their use of this crucial aspect of judgement and focus solely on the conscious elements of decision-making. However, research evidence would suggest that intuition occurs in response to knowledge, is a tri gger for action and/or reflection and thus has a direct bearing on ana lytical processes in patient/client care. The authors therefore argue that the essential nature of intuition cannot be ignored in the practi ce, management, education and research of nursing.