Critical Thinking: need help

[lfdeanrn]

Five weeks and 2 exams into the ADN program and getting beat up with critical thinking questions on analysis/application level...

Need some relief...any ideas/suggestions in approaching this

type of question will be much appreciated....Thanks Dean

[Love-A-Nurse]

originally posted by rebelwaclause

did they help?

yes and again, thanks.

[hoolahan, ASN, RN]

Connie, awesome example!!!

I just wanted to add, look for the nursing-related answer too. Remember you are in nursing to learn the science of nursing, so always try to focus on something that may be easily identified (diagnosed) by a nurse, and treated by a nurse.

So, in Connie's example, a nurse can easily give the pt some sugar followed by skim milk/snack/meal, and no further intervention (MEDICAL) may be necessary.

Other things that nurses can "treat"; fear, pain, knowledge deficits.

It is always important to know how diseases are treated, but what would THE NURSE do? I remember a ? on the Critical Care Cert exam, in which the correct response was "prepare for intubation and mechaniacl ventilation." Wanted to see if you would anticipate the treatment and prepare for it as well.

[KRVRN, BSN, RN]

Yes, like RNConnieF said, prioritze. Remember A-B-C. That comes up again and again on critical thinking type questions. They always drill you in nursing school about how important pain control is. Then it's easy to be tricked when they throw in a question about a person having pain. You tend to want to relieve pain, but other fators MUST be considered first. A-B-C.

In fact, if RNConnieF's answer choices had any that related to assessing respiratory status, I would have selected that answer because she has a hx of asthma and is tachypneic. So, is she breathing fast due to pain or due to difficulty breathing? Breathing labored? Have to assess that before blood sugar.

[Lindsay3]

Hi Dean, how are you? I am new to this site and am trilled so far with the setup and results!! I am in my second year for the RN position and I was wondering if I could ask you a question! What should the nurse assess when Mary arrives in the emergency department in severe respiratory distress and what to you consider to be the three most important nursing problems/diagnosis for the patient? The patient 11 years old and has had asthma since she was three. In last year, she has had experienced five acute episodes of asthma that required medical attention. She also experienced flare-ups of her asthma brought on by Pollen, cold air, and physical excursion.

Thank you so much I really appreciated

Lindsay