Critical Thinking In Nursing

Critical Care ClassSusie Brishaber, RN

What is critical thinking?

“In nursing, critical thinking for

clinical decision-making is the

ability to think in a systematic

and logical manner with

openness to question and reflect

on the reasoning process used to

ensure safe nursing practice

and quality care” (Heaslip,

1993).

Critical Thinking

Nursing Diagnosis Interpretation of the

data for problem

identification

analysis of assessment

data to determine the

client’s actual and

potential health

problems by the RN.

Critical Thinking

The Nursing Process

Planning Reflective and reasonable

thinking that focused on

deciding what to belience

or do

development of a plan of

action to reduce, resolve,

or prevent potential

problems, establish

priorities, formulating

goals/expected outcomes

by the RN, and planning

nursing actions while

documenting the nursing

care plan.

Critical Thinking

The Nursing Process

Implementation

Putting plan in to

action

The delivery of nursing

care, performing the

planned nursing

interventions while

continuing to collect

data about the client

Critical Thinking

The Nursing Process

Skills used in Critical Thinking Information gathering

FocusingRememberingOrganizingAnalyzingGenerating Integratingevaluating

Critical Thinking

What are some examples of Critical thinking? What decision did you

make today that involved critical thinking?

How did you decide to make that decision?

Did you evaluate the outcome of your decision?

Critical Thinking

Today

Nursing assistant approaches the nurse and says a patient’s Blood Pressure is 84/58. What is the first thing

you would do? Using the SBAR, what

would you report to the doctor?

What aspects would you re-evaluate?

Critical Thinking

Examples

Pt. complains of being short of breath and having pain in mid-chest areaWhat is the first thing you would ask this patient

How would you determine the difference between indigestion or Heart Attack?

Using SBAR, what would you report to the doctor?

Critical Thinking Examples

What is your opinion of using good critical thinking skills?

Give a scenario

using critical

thinking.

How do you

measure your

critical thinking?

What can a person

do to improve how

they use critical

thinking?

Critical Thinking

Your View

When you encountered a problem, do not jump in quickly to ask others for answers without figuring it out yourself.

After understanding the situation, information gathered must be verified for accuracy so that informed decision can be made

Critical Thinking

Improving Thought

"I cannot teach anybody anything,

I can only make them think."

- Socrates, Greek philosopher

(469-399 BCE)

Critical ThinkingSeptember 17,

2012