Critical thinking

anonymousstudent · Dec 3, 2010

I was thinking about this the other day. I actually think the "critical thinking" line is bunch of garbage. (Go ahead and flame me. ) I think as you progress through nursing school you see a lot more, and so you have more experience to draw from when considering a situation. I don't think that in a few quarters/semesters the amazing teachers magically transform you into a super critical thinker. lol So really I think it just takes time and exposure. I think "critical thinking" is WAY overused, and when somebody says it I find they often don't have the follow through to explain how to actually GET critical thinking skills. Maybe teachers need to start realizing that 1st term students are, indeed, FIRST TERM STUDENTS who haven't had enough information to make any kind of follow through on the information they have read.

OK, off my box. lol Hang in there, fundamentals is hard here too, after I got past that monster it's been pretty easy. :)

Nurse Kyles, BSN, RN · Dec 3, 2010

You will get there. It would probably be beneficial to you to practice NCLEX style questions. I think that is really what helps. The first term it is difficult, because you are just starting NCLEX testing. It will come easier with time. :) good luck!

ashleyisawesome, BSN, RN · Dec 4, 2010

Amazon.com: Test Success: Test-Taking Techniques for Beginning Nursing Students (9780803618947): Patricia M. Nugent, Barbara A. Vitale: Books

this book is really good.. ive seen a lot of students start using it and their grades actually improved.

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · Dec 5, 2010

I was thinking about this the other day. I actually think the "critical thinking" line is bunch of garbage. (Go ahead and flame me. )

Okay, I will

As a student, i felt the same way, because (like you said) no one ever gave the follow through on how to do it.

(I also felt that way because I was not a great nursing student, and didn't know how to think critically. I memorized, and when the question was an application or analysis question, it looked like something i never ever learned:uhoh3:).

Students have trouble getting 'on board' with this, because for most of our academic careers (prior to NS), we got by on memorization alone. Times tables, stupid random grammar/spelling rules, and the like. We are just told "this is the way it is" and we commit them to memory.

We were told (in my program) that there should be no straight knowledge questions (not even in 101). All questions should have some sort of application aspect. It makes perfect sense. But it is going to be a rough transition for students AND faculty (it is not easy to come up with questions!)

IMO, critical thinking involves two major concepts (and this may not necessarily be what the literature suggests, but it is what I see that is lacking in students who are not strong academically)

Problem solving and common sense. It amazes me that many students come into NS with a world of experience from another career, and they suddenly forget how to think (this may be more of a clincical issue, but it does carry over into theroy and answering test questions). When you approach a patient in clnical, you are not going through you head thinking about the signs and symptoms you've memorized, you are thinking about what you need to do for this patient, and WHY. Use that same mentality when you are studying, and trying to answer questions. It's not about how much you can regurgitate, it's about how you use the information you are memorizing.

If your school is still using knowledge questions, then you need to know your s/s for specific diseases. But the bottom line is, generally speaking, you take care of most of your respiratory questions the same way, your neuro patients, your patients with infections, etc. There are core concepts you need to know. I worked in oncology, with kids with a variety of different cancers. For the most part, I cared for them in the same way. The concepts of nursing care are the same.