UNIT 2

THE NURSING
PROCESS
CRITICAL THINKING
MRS. ASWATHY NAIR B V
 CRITICAL THINKING

Everyday people think critically without realizing it. Critical thinking

is a vital skill for nurses to provide quality care and to solve problems. Nurses
who are critical thinkers can help their patients by analyzing and evaluating
facts in order to make a sound, evidence-based judgment.
 DEFINITION

“ Critical thinking is the analysis of available facts, evidence,

observations and arguments to form a judgment.”

“ Critical thinking is a complex, dynamic process formed by attitudes

and strategic skills with the aim of achieving a specific goal or objective.”
 “ Critical thinking in nursing refers to the application of knowledge
and experience to identify patient problems and to direct clinical judgments
by selecting from alternatives, weighing evidence, using intuitions and by
pattern recognition.”
CRITICAL THINKING COMPETENCIES

Scientific
method

Diagnostic
reasoning Problem
and Critical solving
inference Thinking
Competencies

Decision
Analysis
making
 Critical thinking is not a simple step by step linear process that we can
learn from the book, but is a process acquired only through experience,
commitment and active curiosity towards learning.

Observational skills are the starting point of critical thinking.

1. Scientific method:
It is an approach for finding the truth. This method has 5 steps such as
identifying the problem, collecting the data, formulating hypothesis, testing
hypothesis and finally evaluating the results.

Formulatin
Identifying Collecting
g
the problem the data
hypothesis

Evaluating Testing
the results Hypothesis
2. Problem-solving:
Observe patients closely, gather information about them, examine ideas
and inferences about patient problems, recognize the problems, consider
scientific principles relating to the problems and develop solutions for the
problems. It also involves evaluating the solution over time to check its
effectiveness.

3. Decision making:
Nurses are responsible for making accurate and appropriate clinical
decisions. A professional nurse observes for changes in patients, recognizes
potential problems, identifies new problems as they arise and takes immediate
action when a patient’s clinical condition worsens.
4. Analysis:
Once a problem has been identified, analysis skills become essential. It
involves identifying what’s being said and distinguishing the relevant from the
irrelevant.

5. Diagnostic reasoning and inferences:

A nurse when first meet a patient, do not always have a clear picture of
his needs and the appropriate actions to take. A nurse must learn to question
and explore different perspectives and interpretations to find a solution that
benefits the patient.
COMPONENTS OF CRITICAL THINKING
Scientific
knowledge base

Standards Experience

Attitudes Competencies
LEVELS OF CRITICAL THINKING

Level 3
Commitment

Level 2
Complex

Level 1
Basic
1. Basic level: In this level, the nurses follow whatever instructions experts or
manuals tell them. At this level the nurse’s experience is low. The nurse or
the student nurse does not have the experience to anticipate how to
individualize the care.
2. Complex level: Complex level thinkers analyse and examine choices
independently. Their thinking abilities change and they make their own
choices without blindly following the experts or manuals.
3. Commitment level: In this level, person makes choices without any
assistance from others. She/ he takes the accountability for whatever actions
she makes.
“Successful nurses think beyond their assigned tasks to deliver excellent
care for their patients.”
 TIPS TO IMPROVE NURSE’S CRITICAL
THINKING SKILLS

 Be aware of personal bias and assumptions

 Learn from all available resources

 Reflect on each day
 Practice critical thinking daily
 Maintain flexibility