🎙️ It’s Snowing at the Picnic: Teaching the Clinical Judgment Model Without Medical ContentIn this episode of Learning Lab RN, we talk with Victoria Deardorff, an emergency department nurse educator who developed the Prioritization Picnic, a delightfully nonclinical activity that breaks down the clinical judgment model in its simplest form. Initially created for a pre-nursing class, this activity helps students practice the core components of clinical reasoning—noticing, interpreting, and responding—without getting stuck on content they haven’t learned yet. It's a great reminder that critical thinking doesn’t require complex patient scenarios to be effective—it just takes a clever setup, and maybe a picnic blanket.🔑 Key TakeawaysThe Clinical Judgment Model Doesn’t Require Medical KnowledgeVictoria designed the Prioritization Picnic to help students practice the foundational thinking behind clinical decision-making before they even start nursing school. Students work through silly, but meaningful, scenarios using the framework: What do you notice? What does it mean? What are you going to do?Noticing and Interpreting Are DistinctBy separating out these two steps, students slow down their thinking. Instead of jumping straight to action, they learn to pause and analyze, just like nurses do when assessing a rapidly changing patient.Nonclinical Scenarios Build ConfidenceRemoving medical jargon gives students the freedom to focus on process over perfection. As they encounter unexpected “weather changes” at their imaginary picnic, learners gain comfort with ambiguity and decision-making skills that transfer directly to clinical practice.Resources Mentioned:Download the prioritization picnic worksheet: learninglabrn.comSubscribe to the show: learninglabrn.comJoin the newsletter and explore active learning tools: breakoutrn.comFull transcript: HerePlease offer your feedback about the show by emailing me!If you listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, please take a moment to rate or review the show. This goes a long way toward helping me reach other educators! 😊

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