Table 3.

The influence of demographic and contextual variables on the use of analytical-systematic (A-S) and intuitive-interpretive (I-I) models within stages of the decision making process (Chi-Square, significance level P < 0.05).

Demographic and contextual variables	Data collection P	Data processing P	Planning action P	Implemen tation and evaluation P
Work in ward in years: <2, 2–4, 5–9, ≥10	Less A-S and more I-I as experience in ward increases 0.001	Less A-S and more I-I as experience in ward increases 0.007	Ns	Less A-S and more I-I as experience in ward increases 0.003
Further education: yes or no	Less A-S and more I-I if nurse has further education 0.002	More A-S if nurse has further education 0.039	Less A-S and more I-I if nurse has further education <0.001	Less A-S and more I-I if nurse has further education <0.001
Gender of nurse: male or female	Less A-S and more I-I if nurse is male .032	More A-S and less I-I if nurse is male .024	Less A-S and more I-I if nurse is male .001	Ns
Age in years: <37 or >37	Less A-S and more I-I if age over mean 0.015	Ns	Ns	Ns
Participation in Clinical ladder: yes or no	Ns	Ns	Ns	Ns
Type of hospital where nurses worked: local or regional, or university	Ns	No clear pattern 0.018	No clear pattern <0.001	Ns
Nurses' field of practice: predominantly surgical or medical	Ns	Less A-S and more I-I if nurses field of practice is predominantly surgical <0.001	Ns	Ns