Mapping the nursing process: a new approach for understanding the work of nursing

Abstract

The work of nursing is nonlinear and involves complex reasoning and clinical decision making. The use of human factors engineering (HFE) as a sole means for analyzing the work of nursing is problematic. Combining HFE analysis with qualitative observation has created a new methodology for mapping the nursing process. A cognitive pathway offers a new perspective for understanding the work of nursing and analyzing how disruptions to the nursing process may contribute to errors in the acute care environment.