What is Clinical Questioning?
Clinical questioning is an active dialogue between the preceptor and preceptee that examines clinical situations with the intent of developing critical thinking skills. Questioning is an effective teaching strategy that can be used to encourage student reflection and develop clinical judgment.
How does questioning help preceptees to think critically?
Integrates knowledge, skills and attitudes
Encourage movement toward a higher level of thinking
Assists in viewing a situation from different perspectives
Allows for the exploration of assumptions
Stimulates reflection on action
Putting Clinical Questioning in to Practice as Nurse Preceptor:
Ask a question, then give the preceptee time to think and reflect.
Choose questions that focus on thinking rather than task mastery.
Role model by sharing aloud how you are thinking.
Praise inquiry and encourage questions.
Examples of Effective Questions:
Open-ended (What did you notice?)
Simple and short (When will you do it?)
Use what, when, who, how much, how many to evoke more specific answers (Who will you ask for assistance?")
Focus on detail after asking the big broad question (How did your dressing change go this morning? What was the most difficult part of the procedure for you? When did you feel confident in your ability?)
Create space for the question to "land." In other words, ask your question and then be quiet. We often ask a question, explain what we meant and then ask another question. Allow time for the question to take it in and reflect. Sometimes the question is more important than the answer!
Examples of Questions to ask your preceptee:
Lower Level Questions:
Adapted from http://ahn.mnsu.edu/nursing/facultyformsandinfo/clinicalquestioning.pdf
How does questioning help preceptees to think critically?
Integrates knowledge, skills and attitudes
Encourage movement toward a higher level of thinking
Assists in viewing a situation from different perspectives
Allows for the exploration of assumptions
Stimulates reflection on action
Putting Clinical Questioning in to Practice as Nurse Preceptor:
Ask a question, then give the preceptee time to think and reflect.
Choose questions that focus on thinking rather than task mastery.
Role model by sharing aloud how you are thinking.
Praise inquiry and encourage questions.
Examples of Effective Questions:
Open-ended (What did you notice?)
Simple and short (When will you do it?)
Use what, when, who, how much, how many to evoke more specific answers (Who will you ask for assistance?")
Focus on detail after asking the big broad question (How did your dressing change go this morning? What was the most difficult part of the procedure for you? When did you feel confident in your ability?)
Create space for the question to "land." In other words, ask your question and then be quiet. We often ask a question, explain what we meant and then ask another question. Allow time for the question to take it in and reflect. Sometimes the question is more important than the answer!
Examples of Questions to ask your preceptee:
Lower Level Questions:
- What is insulin dependent diabetes mellitus?
- How should you assess pain?
- What is a normal pH?
- Why is it important to check blood glucose level?
- What are some the signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia?
- How would you care for this patient in regards to her activities of daily living?
- How would you apply what you know about fatigue in the heart failure patient to discharge teaching?
- What do you think this diagnosis means to the patient and her family?
- What is the reason for holding this medication at this time?
- How do you think you are going to teach the patient to care for this wound at home?
- What are the most important aspects of caring for this patient?
- What happens when your brain lacks oxygen? What kind of symptoms would you expect to see?
Adapted from http://ahn.mnsu.edu/nursing/facultyformsandinfo/clinicalquestioning.pdf