Define critical thinking.

[eriksoln]

OK, another post got me thinking about critical thinking (I sound like a late night talk show host now). Anyway, how do you define it? Have any good examples of things you've done that displays it?

Its such a buzz word nurses use and I cant wrap my mind around it. Every time someone tries to explain it, I just cant help but think........"Thats just doing your job, its not some special form of thinking."

Good example.......someone posted about a new nurse who gave a BP med to someone with an already low BP. The new nurse didnt check the pt's BP before giving it. Then finished the post with something to the effect of "This is task oriented nursing at it worst" or something of that nature.

Now, I look at that, and.......considering myself a task oriented person (why is that considered bad?, isnt the point to get the work done?)......think......."No way, a task oriented person would not skip the task of checking the BP, that was a case of laziness."

Anyone have a description of critical thinking that works. I know a lot of people simply call it common sense. Is that all it really is?

[illusion5, ASN]

To sum up the text book version of critical thinking. Critical thinking is self-directed, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking. In other words critical thinking is dealing with your own thoughts. Everyone gave their own thoughts regarding what the definition of critical thinking is but in the end it was their own opinion(self).

Now this is what a good critical thinker does everyday:

raises vital questions and problems, formulating them clearly and

precisely; gathers and assesses relevant information, using abstract ideas to

interpret it effectively comes to well-reasoned conclusions and solutions, testing them against relevant criteria and standards; thinks openmindedly within alternative systems of thought,

recognizing and assessing, as need be, their assumptions, implications, and practical consequences; and communicates effectively with others in figuring out solutions to complex problems.

[lkwashington]

Thank you so much Leslie! I have a real problem with nurses who are task-oriented. I thought nursing had evolved beyond that?

The problem is that critical thinking is not buzz word. It is the ability to problem solve, work outside of the box, anticipate problems and formulate different plans of action for dealing with problems. This is a skill all nurses should have and unfortunately there are too many who are "task-oriented".

I work with a LPN who is task oriented. If you give her an assignment, tell her how to do it and give her definite parameters to work with and she will knock it out of the park. Anything that requires her how to figure it out on her own and she is lost. I have to support her a lot and I resent it. We as nurses are supposed to be better than that.

Task-oriented is what causes nurses to focus on completing the physician orders only and never think to assess the patient's teaching and other needs. Task oriented is what leads to preventable complications because the nurse didn't think to teach the patient how to use the IS, cough and deep breathe, ambulate ASAP after surgery and on and on because if the doctor didn't write it, they're not going to do it. Can you tell this is a pet peeve of mine?

LPN's are taught to be task oriented in school. They have charge nurses RN's that are able to be their resource. I have worked with 3 LPN's on a busy Tele unit. They were able to think critically. Sometimes it can be based on what type of unit you are working and if they are willing to learn.