preview

Critical Thinking Nursing

Decent Essays
Open Document

Why is critical thinking important in nursing? Critical thinking is the essential component and foundation of the profession of nursing. Without one element of critical thinking, the nursing process, we cannot begin to understand or move forward in this great business. RNs must bring with them the skill of critical thinking to make wise decisions and collaborate on the change that will have a positive impact on the future. Also, as the opening vignette shows, many schools have opted to test critical thinking skills before students enter or exit the program (Harrington & Terry, 2009, p.p. 212-213). How does critical thinking facilitate the use of the nursing process? By defining the conditions under which sound and valid conclusions …show more content…

The nursing profession is experiencing distress and pressure from within and without regarding its purposes, educational preparation, practice, roles, theory, research, and in its relation to medicine (Harrington & Terry, 2009, p. 213). The nursing process, containing assessing, diagnosing, planning, implementing, and evaluating, each level uses critical thinking to achieve the optimum goal of quality patient care in nursing and throughout the healthcare profession. State how critical thinking is used in each area of the nursing process? Critical thinking sometimes referred to as "reflective thinking, elements include understanding, awareness, the willingness to take action, and compassion. It also support sensitive decision made by nurses, with emotional intelligence, in consideration towards ethical and cultural issues …show more content…

These higher-order of thinking skills are involved in the ADN curriculum through four modes of critical reflection: 1. problem solving (using the nursing process); 2. Reasoning and informal logic; 3. Reflection, challenging beliefs and imagining alternatives; and 4. Metacognition and self-regulation. The sections explore each of these four modes of critical thinking and learning activities within each mode that foster critical thinking. After reading and thinking about the nature of critical thinking, you now have not only a greater understanding of the concept but also a greater appreciation of the need for critical thinking in nursing. Nursing test includes questions on knowledge, comprehension, application, and analysis, most test at the levels of analysis and implementation (Harrington & Terry, 2009, p.p. 218-219). As nursing evolves, there is a need for higher order in critical thinking which will involve more evidence base

Get Access