Abstract
This chapter provides a description of occupational therapists’ clinical reasoning. First, we present the clinical reasoning process integrative framework, including its internal and external factors of influence. Then, because of its core importance for effective practice, we discuss ways to learn about and improve clinical reasoning. Specifically, we propose a procedure inspired by Kolb’s experiential learning model and Vermersch’s explicitation technique to explicate and reflect upon one’s clinical reasoning process. This reflection reinforces one’s knowledge base, fosters expertise development, and optimizes clinical reasoning.
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The explicitation technique is a form of guided retrospective introspection that can be used, through the detailed description of one’s actions, to access the cognitive processes informing those actions. Learning the explicitation technique involves taking a 35-h workshop and follow-ups. For more information about this technique and examples of its use, see Maurel (2009). Information about the workshops is available from the Research Group on the Explicitation (GREX) website at http://www.grex2.com/ (in French).
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Carrier, A., Levasseur, M., Bédard, D., Desrosiers, J. (2015). Clinical Reasoning Process: Cornerstone of Effective Occupational Therapy Practice. In: Söderback, I. (eds) International Handbook of Occupational Therapy Interventions. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08141-0_5
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