CRITICAL THINKING
OBJECTIVES
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1. Discuss critical thinking and problem
solving.
2. Describe importance of critical
thinking for nurses.
PRETEST
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1. Define the word critical.
2. Identify one way in which nurses use
critical thinking in their practice.
3. How many problem-solving methods
exist?
4. What is at least 1 characteristic of
critical thinking?
5. Define decision making.
Con’t
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4. Rational & reflective, involves
healthy, constructive skepticism, is
autonomous, includes creative thinking,
is fair thinking, focuses on what to
believe & do.
5. The process of establishing criteria
by which alternative courses of action
are developed & selected.
ANSWERS
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1. Requiring careful judgement.
2. To problem solve & make decisions, to
make reliable observations, draw sound
conclusions, create new information & ideas,
evaluate lines of reasoning & improve their
self-knowledge.
3. Five.
.
WHY IS CRITICAL THINKING
IMPORTANT?
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1.Critical thinking is the key to resolving
problems.
2. Nurses must make complex
decisions, adapt to new situations &
continuously update their knowledge &
skills. Critical thinking is integral to all of
these
3. Critical thinking will be essential to
pass the NCLEX.
(Con’t)
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4. National League for Nursing (NLN)
accredited programs must include
content designed to develop critical
thinking skills.
WHAT IS CRITICAL
THINKING?

Critical thinking is the rational
examination of ideas, inferences,
assumptions, principles, arguments,
conclusions, issues, statements, beliefs
& actions.
WHAT IS CRITICAL
THINKING IN NURSING?
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Purposeful, goal-directed thinking
aiming to make judgments based on
evidence rather than conjecture. It is
based on principles of science & the
scientific method & develops strategies
that maximize human potential &
compensates for problems caused by
human nature
WHAT WOULD BE A
SYNONYM FOR CRITICAL
THINKING?
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Reasoning which is a highly
individualized, complex activity that
involves distinct ideas, emotions &
perceptions.
WHAT ARE THE (2)TYPES OF
REASONING?
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Inductive reasoning= generalizations
are formed from a set of facts or
observations.
Deductive reasoning= reasoning from
the general to the specific.
WHAT DOES CRITICAL
MEAN?
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Critical means requiring careful
judgment.
Thinking means to have an opinion, to
reflect on or ponder, to call to mind or
remember to devise a plan, to form a
mental picture of (image), to reason
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN THINKING &
CRITICAL THINKING?
CONTROL
Critical thinking is controlled, purposeful
& more likely to lead to obvious
beneficial results
Thinking is basically any mental
activity;can be aimless & uncontrolled; it
may serve a purpose, but we often
aren’t aware of its benefits;we might not
even remember our thoughts at all
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WHAT ARE THE
CHARACTERISTICS OF
CRITICAL THINKING?
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1. It is rational & reflective.
2. It involves healthy, constructive
skepticism.
3. It is autonomous.
4. It includes creative thinking.
5. It is fair thinking.
6. It focuses on what to believe & do.
WHAT ARE ATTITUDES OF
CRITICAL THINKERS?
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They are:
1. Active thinkers.
2. Knowledgeable of their biases &
limitations.
3. Fair-minded.
4. Willing to exert a conscious effort to
work in a planful manner.
(Con’t)
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5. Good communicators.
6. Empathetic.
7. Open-minded.
8. Independent thinkers.
9. Curious & insightful.
10. Humble.
11. Proactive.
(Con’t)
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12. Honest with themselves & others,
admitting when their thinking may be
flawed or requires more thought.
13. Organized & systematic in their
approach.
14. Flexible.
15. Cognizant of rules of logic
16. Realistic
(Con’t)
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17. Team players.
18. Creative & committed to
excellence.
DOES CRITICAL THINKING
INVOLVE CRITICAL
ANALYSIS?

YES! Critical analysis is a set of
questions one can apply to a particular
situation or idea to determine essential
information & ideas & discard
superfluous information & ideas. Apply
questions only prn.
ARE CRITICAL THINKING &
PROBLEM SOLVING THE
SAME?
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NO! They are sometimes used
interchangeably but are separate
processes that are related in some
situations. Not all decisions we make
involve solving a problem; creativity is a
form of critical thinking itself.
WHAT IS PROBLEM
SOLVING?
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Process used when
a gap is perceived
between an existing
state (what is
occurring)& a
desired state of
what should be
occurring.
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Nurse obtains info.
that clarifies nature
of the problem &
suggests possible
solutions, evaluates
the slns. & chooses
best,implement;situa
tion is carefully
monitored
(Con’t)
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To ensure initial & continued
effectiveness
The nurse does not discard the other
slns. But holds them in reserve in the
event that the first sln. is not effective.
WHAT ARE THE 5 MOST
COMMON APPROACHES TO
PROBLEM SOLVING?
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Trial and Error
Intuition
Nursing Process
Scientific method/Research process
Modified Scientific Method
WHAT IS INTUITION?
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Intuition can be viewed as a form of
guessing & therefore inappropriate
basis for nursing decisions
In clinical judgment it is acquired
through knowledge and experience with
similar types of situations
It is not valid for novices or students due
to their lack of knowledge & clinical
expertise
WHAT IS THE NURSING
PROCESS?
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It is the systematic method of
assessing, diagnosing (nsg), planning,
implementing & evaluating nursing care
It is the method used by nurses to solve
clients’ problems
WHAT IS THE SCIENTIFIC
METHOD?
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Formalized, logical, systematic
approach to solving problems
Classic scientific method is most useful
when the researcher is working in a
controlled situation
WHAT ARE THE STEPS (10)of
the Scientific Method?
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1. State a research question or problem
2. Define purpose of or rationale for
study
3. Review the related literature
4. Formulate hypotheses & define
variables
5. Select plan or method to test
hypothesis
(Con’t)
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6. Select population, sample & setting
7. Conduct a pilot study
8. Collect the data
9. Analyze the data
10.Communicate conclusions &
implications
WHAT ARE THE
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
CONTROLLED SETTING vs
CLINICAL PROBLEM
SETTING?
DIFFERENCES
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1. The nurse’s time frame is often
shorter than the researcher’s
2. The nurse’s environment makes
complete scientific control impossible
3. The nurse deals with multiple,
complex problems
WHAT IS THE MODIFIED
SCIENTIFIC METHOD?
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A scientific method that is changed or
adjusted to solve health problems
This method is used in nursing and
medicine
WHAT ARE THE STEPS OF
THE MODIFIED SCIENTIFIC
METHOD?
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Define the problem
Gather the information
Analyze the information
Develop solutions
Make a decision
Implement the decision
Evaluate the solution
WHAT IS DECISION
MAKING?
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It is the process of establishing criteria
by which alternative courses of action
are developed and selected
WHAT ARE THE 3
CONDITIONS IN DECISION
MAKING?
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1. Freedom
2. Rationality
3. Voluntarity
WHAT IS CLINICAL
DECISION MAKING
COMPOSED OF?
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Cue
Hypothesis
Knowledge base
Nursing intervention
Search
Assumption
WHAT IS THE 7-STEP
DECISION MAKING
PROCESS?
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Identify the purpose
Set the criteria
Weight the criteria
Seek alternatives
Test alternatives
Troubleshoot
Evaluate the action
WHAT IS CREATIVITY?
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It is original thinking
It is a major component of critical
thinking
It is thinking that results in the
development of new ideas & products
Creativity in decision making is the
ability to develop & implement new &
better solutions
WHAT ARE THE 4 STAGES
OF THE CREATIVE PROCESS?
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1.
2.
3.
4.
Preparation
Incubation
Insight
Verification
WHAT ARE
CHARACTERISTICS OF
CREATIVE THINKERS?
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1. Able to generate ideas rapidly
2. Flexible and spontaneous
3. Able to provide original solutions to
problems
4. Preferring complex thought
processes
5. Independent & self-confident
6. Exhibiting distinct individualism
WHAT IS BRAINSTORMING?
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It is a creative thinking technique used
by groups for eliciting ideas, decisions,
or solutions to problems
DOES NURSING
NECESSARILY REQUIRE USE
OF ALL POSSIBILE CRITICAL
THINKING SKILLS?
NO!
HOW DO NURSING PROCESS
& CT INTERFACE?

Nurses use a variety of critical thinking
skills to carry out the nursing process