Background. Several methods of diagnostic reasoninghave been explained in the literature, but there has been noresearch to date comparing one method of diagnostic reasoningto another.Aims. This study aimed to identify differences between the 4steps method and the 6 steps method of diagnostic reasoning interms of what the possible diagnoses based on scenario providedand in terms of ease of use, effectiveness, usefulness and thepossibility of implementation in a clinical setting.Method. Forty four participants, including nurse practitionersand academics participated in this study. All participants wereattending a diagnostic reasoning workshop. Participants weretaught the 4 steps method and the 6 steps method of formulatinga nursing diagnosis. Using three scenarios participants identifiedpossible diagnoses using each method, which were thencompared. The participants were subsequently given aquestionnaire with Likert scale. Statistical analysis with aWilcoxon signed-rank test was performed using SPSS version 20.Result. Results of this study showed that the 6 step method ofdiagnostic reasoning can identify more possible plausiblediagnoses and differential diagnoses (DDx) than the 4 stepmethod can. The 6 steps method of diagnostic reasoning alsoreduced the possibility of identifying inaccurate nursingdiagnoses. The 6 steps method was considered easier to use, moreeffective, more useful and more likely to be implemented in aclinical setting than the 4 steps method (p<0.001)
