Improving Critical Thinking Skills?!

Double-Helix, BSN, RN · May 24, 2012

Try a Kaplan review book. The Kaplan Decision Tree is a great tool for teaching you how to break down the NCLEX questions and find the best answer. Doing lots of practice questions will also help you.

Good luck!

anonymousstudent · May 24, 2012

Davis's Med/Surg Success books are great, the rationales are detailed and have helped me a lot.

sewnmom, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN, NP · May 28, 2012

I have several NCLEX books, NCLEX 4000 (3500 is sometimes available with text book online perks) and many websites I frequent to find questions.

I find online quizzes and reviews on all subjects I am studying. Even if the questions are general information on lets say diabetes, it helps later with the NCLEX style nursing problem questions. I review my A and P notes and go so far as to take my notes and integrate them into my nursing binder where I need them. I will spend fifteen minutes before a lecture reviewing the A/P notes - so if we are doing glaucoma/cataracts/etc, I will review the eyes in my A and P notes. It has helped immensely. I hated sitting there and trying to remember the details from my previous class - this is just enough that I need to learn the nursing aspect in class and not worry about going back to review. I also keep a scrap paper or note card just to jot questions done on during lectures. If we discuss something I need to review or that I need to ask about, I jot it down. I will ask on the way out of my professor whatever questions they can help me with or make arrangements to meet during their office hours.

I have found that my critical thinking skills have improved by doing a combination of things. It all comes down to the knowledge base in my opinion.