Unit III Part A: Critical Thinking

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Unit III Part A Critical Thinking

• J. Davis BSN, RN

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Overview

• Being a critical thinker is the hallmark of being
  an educated person.
• If you do not have critical thinking skills,
  there is a high probability that you will harm a
  patient.
• Nursing has struggled to become a profession
• Nurses used to be doers, not thinkers
• To be a safe, competent nurse...critical thinking
  is vital

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Definitions of Critical Thinking

• Vary greatly...some include
• Thinking that requires identification of
  problems, issues risks
• making judgments based on evidence
• Uses both logic intuition

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I like....

• Critical thinkers have confidence in their
  ability to figure out the logic of anything they
  choose. They continually look for order, system
  interrelationships. (Think, CSI Miamis Horatio
  Cane!)

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Critical Thinking...

• Involves questioning with meaning
• Exam ones own thinking as well as others
• Judgments based on facts, not assumptions
• Willing to consider the alternatives
• Does not jump to conclusions
• Be able to apply what was learned

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Steps of Critical Thinking

• 1 Think beyond what has been said or shown to
  you
• 2 Consider options (sometimes hidden) related
  to the information that youve received
• 3 Evaluate make decisions based on multiple
  sources of information (not just one)

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Ways to Think Critically

• Anticipate questions
• Get clarification
• Make comparisons
• Be objective (keep open mind)
• Review data again
• Seek out answers understanding
• Learn from your mistakes

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Thorough Creative Thinking Thinking

• Critical thinking is thinking thoroughly which
  cannot be done well without the skill of creative
  thinking.
• Being creative requires energy
• When you are intensely focused, you are using
  your conscious mind
• When you let go of an idea, your subconcious
  mind gets to work

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Cognitive Levels

• Knowledge- recalling facts
• Comprehension-understanding what those facts mean
  represent
• Application-knowing when to use those facts
• Analysis-break down of parts of those facts
  understand the place of those facts in the whole
  picture

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Reading Effectively

• Move lips while reading (or read aloud)
• Reading a text takes longer than reading a
  murder-mystery
• Look up words you dont understand

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Critical Thinking

• Be willing to say I dont know
• Critical thinkers are tolerant of other peoples
  opinions
• There is a reason for every behavior
• Practice self-control
• Consider the source (Dont jump on the bandwagon)
• Ask questions
• Consider the alternatives
• Be willing to change your mind

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Characteristics of Critical Thinkers

• Self-confident
• Inquisitive curious
• Honest fair-minded
• Insightful
• Logical
• Self-reflective
• Sensitive ( appreciates differences)

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References

• Anderson, M. (2005). Nursing leadership,
  management, and professional practice for the
  LPN/LVN In nursing school and beyond. (3rd Ed).
  Philadelphia FA Davis (Chapter 6).