critical thinking
A continuous process characterized by open-mindedness, continual inquiry, and perseverance, combined with a willingness to look at each unique patient situation and determine which identified assumptions are true and relevant
The steps of critical thinking
Critical thinking involves recognizing that an issue exists, analyzing information about the issue,
evaluating information,
and making conclusions.
Evidence based knowledge
Knowledge based on research or clinical expertise, helps you become a better critical thinker.
Critical thinking skills
1. Interpretation 2. Analysis 3. Inference
4. Evaluation 5. Explanation 6. Self-regulation
Interpretation
-Be orderly in data collection.
-Look for patterns to categorize data (e.g. nursing diagnosis).
-Clarify data you are uncertain about.
Analysis
-Be open-minded as you look at information about a patient.
-Do not make careless assumptions.
-Do the data reveal what you believe is true, or are there other options?
Inference
-Look at the meaning and significance of findings.
-Are there relationships between findings?
-Do the data about the patient help you see that a problem exists?
Also part of diagnostic reasoning: The process of drawing conclusions from related pieces of e
Evaluation
-Look at all situations objectively.
-Use criteria (e.g. expected outcomes, pain characteristics, learning objectives) to determine results of nursing actions.
-Reflect on your own behavior.
Explanation
-Support your findings and conclusions.
-Use knowledge and experience to choose strategies to use in the care of patients.
Self-regulation
-Reflect on your experiences.
-Identify ways that you can improve your own performance.
-What will make you believe that you have been successful?
The concepts and behaviors of a critical thinker
1. Truth seeking 2. Open-mindedness
3. Analytic approach 4. Systematic approach
5. Self-confidence 6. Inquisitiveness
7. Maturity
Truth seeking
Seek the true meaning of a situation. Be courageous, honest, and objective about asking questions.
Open-mindedness
Be tolerant of different views; be sensitive to the possibility of your own prejudices; respect the right of others to have different opinions.
Analytic approach
Analyze potentially problematic situations, anticipate possible results or consequences; value reason; use evidence-based knowledge.
Systematic approach
Be organized and focused; work hard in any inquiry.
Self-confidence
Trust in your reasoning processes.
Inquisitiveness
Be eager to acquire knowledge and learn explanations, even when applications of knowledge are not immediately clear.
Maturity
Multiple solutions are acceptable. Reflect your own judgements; have a cognitive maturity.
Levels of Critical Thinking
1. Basic critical thinking- A learner trusts that experts have the right answers for every problem. Thinking is concrete and based on a set of rules or principles. Answers to complex problems are either right or wrong.
2. Complex critical thinking- They b
Critical thinking competencies
The cognitive processes a nurse uses to make judgements about the clinical care of patients.
Scientific method
Systematic, ordered approach to gathering data and solving problems.
The scientific method has 5 steps:
1. Identifying the problem
2. Collecting data
3. Formulating a question or hypothesis
4. Testing the question or hypothesis
5. Evaluating results of th
Problem solving
Obtain information and then use the information plus what you already know to find a solution. Involves evaluating the solution over time to make sure that it is effective.
Decision making
A product of critical thinking that focuses on problem resolution
Diagnostic reasoning
It is the analytical process for determining a patient's health problems.
Determining a patient's health status after you have assigned meaning to the behaviors and symptoms presented.
Part of diagnostic reasoning is clinical inference: above
Clinical decision making
-Problem solving approach that nurses use to define patient problems and select appropriate treatment.
-Judgement that includes critical and reflective thinking and action and application of scientific and practical logic.
In clinical decision making a nu
Nursing process
A five step clinical decision making approach; assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation.
The purpose of the nursing process is to diagnose and treat human responses to actual or potential health problems.
The five components of critical thinking:
1. Knowledge base- drawn from nursing school education, as well as from knowledge obtained from basic sciences, humanities, and behavioral science.
2. Experience- obtained from clinical situations in actually working with patients & their families.
3. Com
11 attitudes a nurse needs to think critically.
1. Confidence- Speak with conviction and always be prepared to perform care safely. Encourage a patient to ask questions.
2. Thinking Independently- Read the nursing literature, talk with other nurses and share ideas about nursing interventions.
3. Fairne
2 Standards used in the critical thinking model:
1. Intellectual standards- A guideline or principle for rational thought. (14 of them) Clear, Precise, Specific, Accurate, Relevant, Plausible, Consistent, Logical, Deep, Broad, Complete, Significant, Adequate, Fair
2. Professional standards- For critical
Reflection/ Reflective Journaling
The process of purposefully thinking back or recalling a situation to discover its purpose or meaning.
Concept map
A visual representation of patient problems and interventions that shows their relationships to one another