Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health

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Volume 8, Issue 1-2, December 2018, Pages 65 - 68

Clinical Decision-making among Emergency Physicians: Experiential or Rational?

Authors
Khalid Talal Aldamiri1, Faisal Ahmed Alhusain1, *, Amal Almoamary2, Khalid Alshehri1, Nawfal Al Jerian2
1College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
2Department of Emergency Medicine, Ministry of National Guard – Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
*Corresponding author. Email: Faisalaalhusain@gmail.com
Corresponding Author
Faisal Ahmed Alhusain
Received 23 April 2018, Accepted 18 August 2018, Available Online 31 December 2018.
DOI
10.2991/j.jegh.2018.04.102How to use a DOI?
Keywords
Clinical decisions; emergency medicine; physicians
Abstract

It has been postulated that everyone has an affinity for one of two cognitive approaches: experiential (intuitive) or rational (conscious). The aim of this study was to analyze the thinking processes of Saudi emergency physicians at nine hospitals in Riyadh. This was a cross-sectional study, which was undertaken in Riyadh using a psychometric tool called the Rational–Experiential Inventory-40. The survey, sent by e-mail to 202 emergency physicians, had a 53% response rate. Most respondents were male (86%). The total surveyed participants included consultants (36%), associate consultants (19%), registrars, fellow or staff physicians (7%), and residents (38%). The results found a mean (standard deviation) score of 3.73 (0.51) for rational approaches to decision-making and 3.09 (0.45) for experiential approaches among the emergency physicians surveyed. The difference of 0.46 between the two scores was not statistically significant (p = 0.23). Female emergency physicians tended toward slower logical thinking (rational). Consultant emergency physicians had a higher score for fast intuitive automatic thinking (experiential) than nonconsultant physicians. This was statistically significant, t105 = 2.1, p = 0.4. Our results suggest that although both thinking styles are used in clinical decision-making, consultant emergency physicians prefer rational approaches to decision-making.

Copyright
© 2018 Atlantis Press International B.V.
Open Access
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licences/by-nc/4.0/).

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<Previous Article In Issue
Next Article In Issue>
Journal
Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health
Volume-Issue
8 - 1-2
Pages
65 - 68
Publication Date
2018/12/31
ISSN (Online)
2210-6014
ISSN (Print)
2210-6006
DOI
10.2991/j.jegh.2018.04.102How to use a DOI?
Copyright
© 2018 Atlantis Press International B.V.
Open Access
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licences/by-nc/4.0/).

Cite this article

risenwbib
TY  - JOUR
AU  - Khalid Talal Aldamiri
AU  - Faisal Ahmed Alhusain
AU  - Amal Almoamary
AU  - Khalid Alshehri
AU  - Nawfal Al Jerian
PY  - 2018
DA  - 2018/12/31
TI  - Clinical Decision-making among Emergency Physicians: Experiential or Rational?
JO  - Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health
SP  - 65
EP  - 68
VL  - 8
IS  - 1-2
SN  - 2210-6014
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/j.jegh.2018.04.102
DO  - 10.2991/j.jegh.2018.04.102
ID  - Aldamiri2018
ER  -