Clinical Thinking and Critical Judgement Essay

This discussion question is based on a case study. As in all case studies, review the facts of the case and consider the various steps of the nursing process in order to address the critical thinking questions.

Critical thinking is a term you will often here in regards to nursing education and the ability to be a successful nurse. Critical thinking is one of the most important skills of a nurse. Nurses must be able to constantly asses and analyze situations in order to prioritize what is the most important task to accomplish next. This is an ever changing situation in health care and especially in the Intensive Care Units.

This paper will discuss three theories of decision-making that can be adopted in nursing practice, additionally how decision-making theories are able to be implemented and used. Decision-making in nursing is adopted through the critical thinking process that provides each nurse a model to make the best choices, solve problems and to meet goals in clinical practice (Berman & Kozier 2018, pp. 199-200; Levett-Jones & Hoffman 2013, pp. 4-5). Effective decision-making in nursing is a vital component and part of the role of a registered nurse; each year a substantial number of patients die due to medical errors and poor decision-making (Levett-Jones & Hoffman 2013, pp. 4-5; Nibbelink & Brewer 2017, p. 3). Through the use of

Alfaro-LeFevre, R. (2013). Critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and clinical judgment : A practical approach (Fifth ed.).

Critical thinking does requires the application of knowledge and experience to identify patient’s problems and to direct clinical judgment and actions resulting in positive patient’s outcomes. Nurses use critical thinking skills when they reflect on knowledge derivative from other interdisciplinary subject areas such as the biophysical and behavioral sciences and the humanities in order to provide holistic nursing care. These skill are cultivate by nurses who display the virtues of critical thinking including independence of thought, curiosity, courage, humility, empathy and fair

As the nurses who participated in a study (Jones & Cheek, 2003) overwhelmingly advised, there is no such thing as a typical day for a nurse. Nurses face new situations everyday and it is important that they can adjust their knowledge and skills accordingly. Critical thinking and reflection are essential skills because they can enhance nurses’ ability to solve problems and make sound decisions. Critical thinking skills enable nurses to identify multiple possibilities in clinical situations and alternatives to interventions; weigh the consequences of alternate actions; and make sound judgement and decisions (Brunt, 2005). Through reflection, nurses can examine their practice, explore feelings and reactions and connect new meanings to past experience (Brunt). Reflection can enhance self-awareness, foster professional satisfaction and growth and increase the possibility for change and improvement in nursing practice and therapeutic relationships (Thorne & Hayes, 1997).

In addition to these characteristics, nursing also involves critical thinking. "Critical thinking is the active, organized, cognitive process used to carefully examine one's thinking and the thinking of others. It involves the use of the mind in forming conclusions, making decisions, drawing inferences, and reflecting" (Perry,

The co-operative nursing assignment has given me the opportunity to use my critical thinking, decision-making, leadership, and clinical nursing expertise learned throughout the RN-BSN program. “The fostering of critical thinking as one of the terminal learning goals of nursing education based on the idea that critical thinking is important not only in the nursing workplace, but also in nursing education” (Shin, Jung, Shin & Kim, 2006, p. 233). My

Critical thinking is a nursing process that includes reflective practice, problem solving and decision making which are connected to one another. The definition of critical thinking is transferring and applying knowledge and skills in a new situation. The critical thinking is needed in a lot of aspects of the nurses’ job such as when the nurses need to provide the precise identification in the specific problems had by the patients. They need to be in detail and also critical to themselves in every time in order to be able to provide identification precisely. When you have the profession in nursing, it is important to be critical thinker. The nurses have the high responsibilities and their responsibilities are increasing from time to time.

Underlying both the clinical decision-making process and the nursing process is the skill of critical thinking. Critical thinking has been described as the ability to gather and process data in such a way as to arrive at the best conclusion using the filters of prior knowledge, experience and external resources to overcome personal emotions, biases, and assumptions. (This description was developed during NUR/300 class, University of Phoenix, S. Colorado, March 16, 2006) Note that critical thinking is described as a

The national league for nurses defines critical thinking in the nursing process as “a discipline specific, reflective reasoning process that guides a nurse in generating, implementing, and evaluating approaches for dealing with client care and professional concerns” (Kozier, 2008). This definition is imperative to help a nursing student learn how to think in terms of nursing care. Nursing students must achieve a comprehensive understanding of critical thinking in order to understand the nursing process. The purpose for this paper is for nursing students to learn how to use the nursing process, how to properly document their findings and assessments, and correctly implement APA formatting in a formal paper.

Critical thinking refers to the ability to think rationally and clearly. It enables one be able to think well and be able to solve problems in a systematic manner. It also plays a role in evaluating ideas and acts as a tool for self evaluation. In nursing, critical thinking for clinical decision making refers to the process of thinking in a logical and systematic manner. Nursing practitioners who are critical thinkers strive to be clear, accurate, significant, precise and logic when carrying out their daily activities ADDIN EN.CITE Mateo2009451(Mateo & Kirchhoff, 2009)4514516Mateo, M. A.Kirchhoff, K. T.Research for advanced practice nurses: From evidence to practice. 2009New York, NYSpringer( HYPERLINK l "_ENREF_6" o "Mateo, 2009 #451" Mateo & Kirchhoff, 2009). Critical thinking in nursing involves some elements of thought. It involves being able to figure out a problem, issue or views of somebody else. The goal of thinking is to figure out what one hopes to accomplish ADDIN EN.CITE Sheridan19841096(Sheridan, Vredenburgh, & Abelson, 1984)1096109617Sheridan, John E.Vredenburgh, Donald J.Abelson, Michael A.Contextual Model of Leadership Influence in Hospital UnitsThe Academy of Management JournalThe Academy of Management Journal57-782711984Academy of Management00014273http://www.jstor.org/stable/255957( HYPERLINK l "_ENREF_7" o "Sheridan, 1984 #1096" Sheridan, Vredenburgh, & Abelson, 1984). Critical

The purpose of this journal is to reflect on my experience and skills gained during my clinical placement at Ben Taub Hospital. On my first clinical day, I was excited and nervous at the same time. My first placement was in the PREOP/PACU area. I was assigned to help a patient who had been in the PACU area going on 2 days. Normally, once the patient comes from surgery they are only in the PACU area for a short period of time before they are discharged home or given a bed in another area of the hospital. This particular patient still had not received an assignment for a bed. The physicians would make their rounds to come check on him daily. The patient was a 28-year-old Hispanic male, non-English speaking, he had a hemicolectomy. He had a NG tube, urinary Foley catheter, and a wound vac. My preceptor had just clocked in and she needed to check on the patient’s vitals and notes from the previous nurse. Once she introduced me to the patient and explained while I was there, she then asked me to check his vitals. (Vital signs indicate the body’s ability to regulate body temperature, maintain blood flow, and oxygenate body tissues. Vital signs are important indicators of a client’s overall health status (Hogan, 2014). I froze for a quick second. I have practiced taking vitals numerous of times and I knew I could do it correctly. I started with the temperature first, when I was quickly corrected on a major mistake I had made by my preceptor. I HAD FORGOT TO WASH MY HANDS and PUT

Critical thinking and clinical reasoning are similar in the fact that each term represents a set of methods that guide the nurse to reliable evidence-based practice while delivering care. Critical thinking and clinical reasoning are centered on knowledge base that is associated with the discipline of nursing. With each concept, the nurse must have an existing developed knowledge base in which to apply each concept to. Nurses apply critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills when patient care decisions are made. With both critical thinking and clinical reasoning, information about the patient is collected and examined. They work together to produce clinical judgment. They both direct nursing care to meet patients’ needs resulting in higher quality of care and better patient outcomes.

In this essay, I will share my experience when I was still a novice in the nursing profession and how my understanding of critical thinking has radically transformed, the importance of critical thinking skills in this profession and useful ways on how to develop this specific skill.