The role of emotion in clinical decision making: an integrative literature review
Abstract Background Traditionally, clinical decision making has been perceived as a purely rational and cognitive process. Recently, a number of authors have linked emotional intelligence (EI) to clinical decision making (CDM) and calls have been made for an increased focus on EI skills for clinicia...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2017-12-01
|
| Series: | BMC Medical Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12909-017-1089-7 |
| _version_ | 1819026755988488192 |
|---|---|
| author | Desirée Kozlowski Marie Hutchinson John Hurley Joanne Rowley Joanna Sutherland |
| author_facet | Desirée Kozlowski Marie Hutchinson John Hurley Joanne Rowley Joanna Sutherland |
| author_sort | Desirée Kozlowski |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Traditionally, clinical decision making has been perceived as a purely rational and cognitive process. Recently, a number of authors have linked emotional intelligence (EI) to clinical decision making (CDM) and calls have been made for an increased focus on EI skills for clinicians. The objective of this integrative literature review was to identify and synthesise the empirical evidence for a role of emotion in CDM. Methods A systematic search of the bibliographic databases PubMed, PsychINFO, and CINAHL (EBSCO) was conducted to identify empirical studies of clinician populations. Search terms were focused to identify studies reporting clinician emotion OR clinician emotional intelligence OR emotional competence AND clinical decision making OR clinical reasoning. Results Twenty three papers were retained for synthesis. These represented empirical work from qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods approaches and comprised work with a focus on experienced emotion and on skills associated with emotional intelligence. The studies examined nurses (10), physicians (7), occupational therapists (1), physiotherapists (1), mixed clinician samples (3), and unspecified infectious disease experts (1). We identified two main themes in the context of clinical decision making: the subjective experience of emotion; and, the application of emotion and cognition in CDM. Sub-themes under the subjective experience of emotion were: emotional response to contextual pressures; emotional responses to others; and, intentional exclusion of emotion from CDM. Under the application of emotion and cognition in CDM, sub-themes were: compassionate emotional labour – responsiveness to patient emotion within CDM; interdisciplinary tension regarding the significance and meaning of emotion in CDM; and, emotion and moral judgement. Conclusions Clinicians’ experienced emotions can and do affect clinical decision making, although acknowledgement of that is far from universal. Importantly, this occurs in the in the absence of a clear theoretical framework and educational preparation may not reflect the importance of emotional competence to effective CDM. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T05:31:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-556447bc486f46f58037cb01d0884b5e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6920 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T05:31:38Z |
| publishDate | 2017-12-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Medical Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-556447bc486f46f58037cb01d0884b5e2022-12-21T19:14:31ZengBMCBMC Medical Education1472-69202017-12-0117111310.1186/s12909-017-1089-7The role of emotion in clinical decision making: an integrative literature reviewDesirée Kozlowski0Marie Hutchinson1John Hurley2Joanne Rowley3Joanna Sutherland4Discipline of Psychology, School of Health and Human Sciences, Southern Cross UniversitySchool of Health and Human Sciences, Southern Cross UniversitySchool of Health and Human Sciences, Southern Cross UniversitySchool of Health and Human Sciences, Southern Cross UniversitySchool of Health and Human Sciences, Southern Cross UniversityAbstract Background Traditionally, clinical decision making has been perceived as a purely rational and cognitive process. Recently, a number of authors have linked emotional intelligence (EI) to clinical decision making (CDM) and calls have been made for an increased focus on EI skills for clinicians. The objective of this integrative literature review was to identify and synthesise the empirical evidence for a role of emotion in CDM. Methods A systematic search of the bibliographic databases PubMed, PsychINFO, and CINAHL (EBSCO) was conducted to identify empirical studies of clinician populations. Search terms were focused to identify studies reporting clinician emotion OR clinician emotional intelligence OR emotional competence AND clinical decision making OR clinical reasoning. Results Twenty three papers were retained for synthesis. These represented empirical work from qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods approaches and comprised work with a focus on experienced emotion and on skills associated with emotional intelligence. The studies examined nurses (10), physicians (7), occupational therapists (1), physiotherapists (1), mixed clinician samples (3), and unspecified infectious disease experts (1). We identified two main themes in the context of clinical decision making: the subjective experience of emotion; and, the application of emotion and cognition in CDM. Sub-themes under the subjective experience of emotion were: emotional response to contextual pressures; emotional responses to others; and, intentional exclusion of emotion from CDM. Under the application of emotion and cognition in CDM, sub-themes were: compassionate emotional labour – responsiveness to patient emotion within CDM; interdisciplinary tension regarding the significance and meaning of emotion in CDM; and, emotion and moral judgement. Conclusions Clinicians’ experienced emotions can and do affect clinical decision making, although acknowledgement of that is far from universal. Importantly, this occurs in the in the absence of a clear theoretical framework and educational preparation may not reflect the importance of emotional competence to effective CDM.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12909-017-1089-7EmotionEmotional intelligenceClinical decision makingClinical reasoning |
| spellingShingle | Desirée Kozlowski Marie Hutchinson John Hurley Joanne Rowley Joanna Sutherland The role of emotion in clinical decision making: an integrative literature review BMC Medical Education Emotion Emotional intelligence Clinical decision making Clinical reasoning |
| title | The role of emotion in clinical decision making: an integrative literature review |
| title_full | The role of emotion in clinical decision making: an integrative literature review |
| title_fullStr | The role of emotion in clinical decision making: an integrative literature review |
| title_full_unstemmed | The role of emotion in clinical decision making: an integrative literature review |
| title_short | The role of emotion in clinical decision making: an integrative literature review |
| title_sort | role of emotion in clinical decision making an integrative literature review |
| topic | Emotion Emotional intelligence Clinical decision making Clinical reasoning |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12909-017-1089-7 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT desireekozlowski theroleofemotioninclinicaldecisionmakinganintegrativeliteraturereview AT mariehutchinson theroleofemotioninclinicaldecisionmakinganintegrativeliteraturereview AT johnhurley theroleofemotioninclinicaldecisionmakinganintegrativeliteraturereview AT joannerowley theroleofemotioninclinicaldecisionmakinganintegrativeliteraturereview AT joannasutherland theroleofemotioninclinicaldecisionmakinganintegrativeliteraturereview AT desireekozlowski roleofemotioninclinicaldecisionmakinganintegrativeliteraturereview AT mariehutchinson roleofemotioninclinicaldecisionmakinganintegrativeliteraturereview AT johnhurley roleofemotioninclinicaldecisionmakinganintegrativeliteraturereview AT joannerowley roleofemotioninclinicaldecisionmakinganintegrativeliteraturereview AT joannasutherland roleofemotioninclinicaldecisionmakinganintegrativeliteraturereview |