Critical Thinking Flashcards
Give three examples of clinical judgement in nursing
Changes in a patient’s condition
When to call a physician
Should this medication be administered?
Steps you should take using clinical judgement regarding changes in a patient’s condition
1- rule out physical pain first, before mental
2- treat the patient, not the machine
3- prioritize order of when to see each patient
Define critical thinking
The ability to think in a systematic and logical manner with openness to question and reflect on the reasoning process
Define reflection
Part of critical thinking that involves purposefully reviewing a situation to discover its purpose or meaning (thinking over what you did to determine why, and if it worked)
Examples of reflection:
How did i act?
Why did i choose such an action?
What could i have done differently?
What are the three levels of critical thinking in nursing?
Basically critical thinking
Complex critical thinking
Commitment
What is basic critical thinking?
Focuses on performing skills and organizing nursing care activity by trusting that the experts have all the answers
What is complex critical thinking?
When a nurse begins to rely less on experts and trusts their own decisions more
Finding original solutions to specific problems
What is commitment?
When a nurse anticipates when to make choices without assistance from others
Can accept accountability for decisions made
What is general critical thinking competencies (CTC)?
Critical thinking that is not unique to nursing
What is specific critical thinking competencies (CTC)?
Critical thinking related to nursing
Methods of general CTC
Scientific method
Problem solving
Decision making
What is the scientific method?
A methodical way to solve problems using reasoning
What is problem solving?
Obtain info and clarify the nature of the problem
Suggest possible solutions
Try the solution over time to make sure it’s effective
What is decision making?
When you face a problem and choose a course of action from several options
Three methods used in specific CTC
Diagnostic reasoning
Clinical decision making
Knowing the patient
What is diagnostic reasoning?
Figuring out why
What is clinical decision making?
Product of clinical thinking that focuses on resolving a patient’s problem
What is knowing the patient?
In depth knowledge of a patient’s pattern of responses within a clinical situation and knowing the patient as a person
How does the nursing process use CTC?
It combines the use of general and specific CTCs
List the attitudes needed for critical thinking
Confidence
Independent thinking
Fairness
Responsibility/accountability
Risk taking
Perseverance applications
Creativity
Curiosity
Integrity
Humility
How can a nurse show confidence?
Speak with conviction to a patient when beginning an intervention
Always be prepared before performing a nursing activity
Encourage the patient to ask questions
How can a nurse show independent thinking?
Be open minded about different interventions
Talk with other nurses and share ideas
How can a nurse show fairness?
Listen to both sides of a discussion
If a staff member labels a patient uncooperative, assume the care of that patient with openness
How can a nurse show responsibility/accountability?
Ask for help
Refer to policy and procedure manual
Report problems
Follow standards of care
How can a nurse show risk taking?
If your knowledge causes you to question a healthcare provider, do so
Be willing to recommend alternative approaches to colleagues
How can a nurse show discipline?
Use scientific and practice-based criteria
Take time to be thorough and manage time effectively
How can a nurse show perseverance applications?
Be cautious of easy answers that avoid uncomfortable situations
If facts seem to be missing, clarify info
How can a nurse show creativity?
Look for different approaches if intervention isn’t working
How can a nurse show curiosity?
Always ask why
Be willing to challenge tradition
Explore and learn more about a patient to make appropriate clinical judgements
How can a nurse show integrity?
Recognize when your opinions conflict with those of a patient
Do not compromise nursing standards or honesty in delivering nursing care
How can a nurse show humility?
Recognize when you need more info to make a decision
Ask for an orientation when you are new to a nursing division
Ask RNs who are regularly assigned to the area for assistance with approaches to care
Differentiate between intellectual standards and professional standards
Must have intellectual standards to have professional standards
Intellectual brings forward knowledge and boundary setting
Professional are criteria that needs to be met
(Both use critical thinking)
What are intellectual standards?
Guidelines or principles for rational thought
Using: preciseness, accuracy, consistency
To make sure you have all the data you need to make sound clinical decisions
What are professional standards?
Used to improve patient outcomes and maintain a high level of quality nursing care using:
- Ethical criteria for nursing judgements
- Evidence-based criteria used for evaluation
- Criteria for professional responsibility
Three ways to develop critical thinking skills
Reflective journaling
Meeting with colleagues
Concept mapping
Discuss the connection of stress management to clinical decision making
If you’re stressed, you can’t think properly
(Ex: working 12 hour shifts can impair nursing judgement because of the way stress affects attention)
Compare the nursing process to critical thinking
The two processes go hand in hand in making quality decisions about patient care.
Critical thinking = reasoning process
Nursing process = need to learn steps to incorporate the elements of critical thinking
What are the steps of the nursing process?
Assessment
Nursing diagnosis
Planning
Implementation
Evaluation
Define diagnostic reasoning
Process that enables an observer to assign the meaning to and classify phenomena in clinical situations by integrating observations and critical thinking
Define inference
Judgement or interpretation of informational cues
