Promoting and Assessing Critical Thinking

In the chaotic, ever-changing, unpredictable, uncertain world in health care arena of the 21st century, nurses need additional abilities if they are to provide quality care to individuals, families and communities.

Additional skills: Work collaboratively w/ an interdisciplinary team Provide evidence to support ones interactions Draw reasoned conclusions Document clearly and comprehensively Provide leadership that leads to positive change Be unwilling to merely accept the status quo or tradition

Be creative Connect ideas often in unique ways Engage in dialogue w/ individuals & groups Communicate effectively through verbal, written, & electronic means Manage conflicting information Make decisions despite gaps in information & knowledge

Have a questioning mind Be characterized by the spirit of inquiry Contribute to the ongoing development of nursing science Be open to new perspectives, interpretations, & alternatives Be reflective & contemplative Think critically

Defining Critical Thinking

Watson & Glaser (1964) - a composite of attitudes of inquiry; knowledge of the nature of valid inferences, abstractions, & generalizations; & skills in employing & applying these attitudes & this knowledge

Introduced the idea that critical thinking also involves ones frame of mind or attitude This is important because it acknowledges that critical thinking is more than merely a collection of skills one uses in certain situations, instead, it is a perspective through which one views all situations.

Definitions of critical thinking:

Bandman & bandman: reasoning in which we analyze the use of language, formulate problems, clarify & explicate assumptions, weigh evidence, evaluate conclusions, discriminate b/w good & bad arguments, & seek to justify those facts & values that result in credible beliefs & actions

Ennis: reflective & reasonable thinking that is focused on deciding what to believe or do LIpman: skillful, responsible thinking that facilitates good judgment because it relies upon criteria, is self-correcting, & is sensitive to context Paul: thinking about your thinking while youre thinking in order to make your thinking better

Critical thinker is nonbiased, reasoned, & truth-oriented Critical thinking involves making judgments Thinking can be judged to be critical if it holds up to certain evaluative criteria Critical thinking is tied to belief or action

Critical thinking is using the powers of the mind to view the world and to act in a discerning way. It includes having a questioning attitude, examining underlying assumptions, and considering the validity of alternative solutions, in order to make reasoned judgments that are sensitive to context.

Critical thinking is a way of interacting with the world that is reflective, open, and generative Interacting with the world engaging w/ ideas as well as people, being curious, appreciating contextual influences, beinjg broad rather than narrow, being aware of ones own values, being involved, being able to tolerate ambiguity and uncertainty, and not having tunnel vision

By reflective having a sound knowledge base, examining the whole, being thoughtful, examining assumptions, being insightful, drawing conclusions that are well founded, and continuously looking at and investigating ideas and perspectives, among other things

Being open being flexible and open to new ideas, considering alternative lines for reasoning, being creative, having intellectual curiosity, and continually rethinking issues, perspectives, and points of view, including ones own Being generative creating new ideas, proposing alternatives, being willing to grow and take risks, taking responsibility for initiating change, and constantly growing and learning

National League for Nursing Critical thinking in nusing practice is a discipline specific, reflective reasoning process that guides a nurse in generating, implementing and evaluating approaches for dealing with client care and professional concerns

Significance: to encourage nurse educators to think carefully and, indeed, critically about the essence of the definition they use to judge learner achievement in this significant area.

Problem-solving involves drawing on knowledge and experience to address an immediate problem

Critical thinking is reflective, involves personal investment, is not linear, is not necessarily focused on solving a problem or answering a question - is logical, analytical, and judgmental

We dont have to make human beings smart. They are born smart. All we have to do is stop doing things that make them stupid.

Strategies That Enhance Critical Thinking

Thinking is hard work, that is why you dont see a lot of people doing it. Discussion Asking effective questions - questions that probe thinking for clarity, that hold individuals accountable for their thinking, and those that move learners to the internalization of questions they need to ask themselves to become astute practitioners

Text interaction Problem-based learning Concept mapping Other strategies: Case studies Collaborative learning Microthemes Journals Self-assessment/evaluation

Assignment: yellow pad

Many employers of nurses say they want all nurses they hire to be critical thinkers. They rate critical thinking among the most desirable skills for their employees. Is it realistic to expect that all nurses will have highly developed critical thinking skills? If a nurse has good problem-solving skills, might that be enough to make her or him a valued employee?

Critical thinking and methods to promote critical thinking have been subjects of concern for many professional practice fields affected by increasing technology and access to information. However, no standard definitions of critical thinking or methods of teaching and evaluating critical thinking have been accepted. One common definition of critical thinking developed by nurses states that critical thinking in nursing is an essential component of professional accountability and quality nursing care.

Critical thinkers in nursing exhibit these habits of the mind: confidence, contextual perspective, creativity, flexibility, inquisitiveness, intellectual integrity, intuition, open-mindedness, perseverance, and reflection. Critical thinkers in nursing practice the cognitive skills of analyzing, applying standards, discriminating, information seeking, logical reasoning, predicting, and transforming knowledge.

Whatever definition is accepted, critical thinking is a very important part of nursing practice. The complexity of care today requires the use of critical thinking to solve nursing problems for which there are no textbook answers or available resources. As greater demands are placed on the nursing profession by technology and information, only critical thinking will provide viable answers.