Objective: Clinical Judgment is an inference regarding patient¡¯s needs, health problems, and assertion whether or not to take action, utilize or amend universal approach or create new ones as necessary based on the patient¡¯s response. This research aims to investigate the effect of simulation on the clinical judgment of Saudi nursing students utilizing Lasater¡¯s Clinical Judgment Rubric (LCJR). It also aims to determine the association of gender to the participants¡¯ clinical judgment as to components noticing, interpreting, responding and reflecting. Methods: This research utilized a quasi-experimental, single group pretest posttest approach. The study was conducted in the College of Nursing at the University of Hail, Saudi Arabia. A total of 100 Saudi nursing students participated in the study (83% response rate). The participants were currently enrolled in a Medical Surgical Nursing course during the first semester of the academic year 2017-2018. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) program was utilized to calculate the weighted mean, standard deviation, repeated measures ANOVA, and Bonferroni test as statistical treatments. The participants underwent simulation of various patient scenarios in two separate points in time (pre-clinical training and post-clinical training) and were evaluated using the LCJR. Results: Simulation significantly has an effect in the clinical judgment of Saudi nursing students (P=0.026). Saudi nursing students¡¯ clinical judgment depicted heightened competency in the dimensions of Responding (p=0.006) and Reflecting (p=0.005) of the LCJR. Conclusion: Simulation is an effective teaching strategy in developing clinical judgment in Saudi nursing students. Furthermore, the LCJR can be recommended for use as an assessment tool. The results of the study can be utilized by the different nursing colleges across Saudi Arabia to develop simulation programs as an adjunct in nursing education and to consider the use of the LCJR in determining the clinical judgment of nursing students.

clinical judgment, Lasater's clinical judgment rubric, nursing, Saudi nursing students, simulation