NUR 112 FUNDAMENTALS F NURSING-
EXAM 4 BEST STUDY GUIDE Module 13-
Chapter 15 & 16 UPDATED 2022
Chapter 15- Critical Thinking in Nursing Practice
Clinical Judgement in Nursing Practice
• Registered nurses (RNs) are responsible for making accurate and appropriate
clinical decisions or judgments
• Nurses must learn to question, wonder, and explore different perspectives
and interpretations to find a solution that benefits the patient
Critical Thinking Defined
• The ability to think in a systematic and logical manner with openness to question
and reflect on the reasoning process
• A continuous process characterized by open-mindedness, continual inquiry, and
perseverance, combined with a willingness to look at each unique patient situation
and determine which identified assumptions are true and relevant
• Recognizing that an issue exists, analyzing information, evaluating information,
and drawing conclusions
● Reflection
○ The ability to act on the basis of critical thinking comes with experience.
○ Turning over a subject in the mind and thinking about it seriously
is reflection.
○ Reflection is not intuitive
NUR 112 FUNDAMENTALS F NURSING-
EXAM 4 BEST STUDY GUIDE Module 13-
Chapter 15 & 16 UPDATED 2022
, NUR 112 FUNDAMENTALS F NURSING-
EXAM 4 BEST STUDY GUIDE Module 13-
Chapter 15 & 16 UPDATED 2022
Levels of Critical Thinking in Nursing
● Basic Critical Thinking
○ Learner trust that experts have the right answers for every problem
○ Thinking is concrete and based on a set of rules or principles
○ Follows the procedure step by step
○ Tends to think that one right answer exists for every problem
● Complex Critical Thinking
○ Begin to separate themselves from experts
○ Each solution has benefits and risks that you weigh before making a
final decision
○ Willing to consider different options from routine procedures
● Commitment
○ Anticipate when to make choices without assistance from others and
accept accountability
○ You consider the results of the decision and determine whether it
was appropriate
Critical Thinking Competencies
● General Critical Thinking
• Methodical way to solve problems using reasoning
NUR 112 FUNDAMENTALS F NURSING-
EXAM 4 BEST STUDY GUIDE Module 13-
Chapter 15 & 16 UPDATED 2022
, NUR 112 FUNDAMENTALS F NURSING-
EXAM 4 BEST STUDY GUIDE Module 13-
Chapter 15 & 16 UPDATED 2022
• Used from testing research questions
○ Scientific Method
■ Identify the problem
■ Collect data
■ Formulate a question or hypothesis
■ Test the question or hypothesis
■ Evaluate results of the test or study
○ Problem Solving
■ Evaluating a situation over time, identifying possible solutions,
and trying a solution over time to make sure that it is effective
■ It becomes necessary to try different options if a problem recurs
○ Decision Making
■ Product of critical thinking that focuses on problem resolution
■ Involves moving back and forth when considering all criteria
● Scientific Critical Thinking
○ Diagnostic Reasoning and Inference
■ Diagnostic Reasoning - analytical process for determining a
patient’s health
■ Diagnostic reasoning helps healthcare providers pinpoint the
NUR 112 FUNDAMENTALS F NURSING-
EXAM 4 BEST STUDY GUIDE Module 13-
Chapter 15 & 16 UPDATED 2022
, NUR 112 FUNDAMENTALS F NURSING-
EXAM 4 BEST STUDY GUIDE Module 13-
Chapter 15 & 16 UPDATED 2022
nature of a problem more quickly and select proper therapies
■ Inference - the process of drawing conclusions from related pieces
of evidence and previous experience with the evidence
■ You form patterns of information from data before making a diagnosis
○ Clinical Decision Making
■ Is a problem-solving activity
■ Focus on defining a problem or diagnosis and selecting
appropriate nursing interventions
■ Requires careful reasoning
● Nursing Process as a Competency
○ ADPIE
○ Purpose is to diagnose and treat human responses
○ American Nurses Association (ANA) developed these standards
A Critical Thinking Model for Clinical Decision Making
● Specific Knowledge Base
○ Knowledge prepares you to better anticipate and identify patient’s
problems by understanding their origin and nature
○ This process includes information and theory from the basic
sciences, humanities, behavioral sciences, and nursing
● Experience
NUR 112 FUNDAMENTALS F NURSING-
EXAM 4 BEST STUDY GUIDE Module 13-
Chapter 15 & 16 UPDATED 2022
EXAM 4 BEST STUDY GUIDE Module 13-
Chapter 15 & 16 UPDATED 2022
Chapter 15- Critical Thinking in Nursing Practice
Clinical Judgement in Nursing Practice
• Registered nurses (RNs) are responsible for making accurate and appropriate
clinical decisions or judgments
• Nurses must learn to question, wonder, and explore different perspectives
and interpretations to find a solution that benefits the patient
Critical Thinking Defined
• The ability to think in a systematic and logical manner with openness to question
and reflect on the reasoning process
• A continuous process characterized by open-mindedness, continual inquiry, and
perseverance, combined with a willingness to look at each unique patient situation
and determine which identified assumptions are true and relevant
• Recognizing that an issue exists, analyzing information, evaluating information,
and drawing conclusions
● Reflection
○ The ability to act on the basis of critical thinking comes with experience.
○ Turning over a subject in the mind and thinking about it seriously
is reflection.
○ Reflection is not intuitive
NUR 112 FUNDAMENTALS F NURSING-
EXAM 4 BEST STUDY GUIDE Module 13-
Chapter 15 & 16 UPDATED 2022
, NUR 112 FUNDAMENTALS F NURSING-
EXAM 4 BEST STUDY GUIDE Module 13-
Chapter 15 & 16 UPDATED 2022
Levels of Critical Thinking in Nursing
● Basic Critical Thinking
○ Learner trust that experts have the right answers for every problem
○ Thinking is concrete and based on a set of rules or principles
○ Follows the procedure step by step
○ Tends to think that one right answer exists for every problem
● Complex Critical Thinking
○ Begin to separate themselves from experts
○ Each solution has benefits and risks that you weigh before making a
final decision
○ Willing to consider different options from routine procedures
● Commitment
○ Anticipate when to make choices without assistance from others and
accept accountability
○ You consider the results of the decision and determine whether it
was appropriate
Critical Thinking Competencies
● General Critical Thinking
• Methodical way to solve problems using reasoning
NUR 112 FUNDAMENTALS F NURSING-
EXAM 4 BEST STUDY GUIDE Module 13-
Chapter 15 & 16 UPDATED 2022
, NUR 112 FUNDAMENTALS F NURSING-
EXAM 4 BEST STUDY GUIDE Module 13-
Chapter 15 & 16 UPDATED 2022
• Used from testing research questions
○ Scientific Method
■ Identify the problem
■ Collect data
■ Formulate a question or hypothesis
■ Test the question or hypothesis
■ Evaluate results of the test or study
○ Problem Solving
■ Evaluating a situation over time, identifying possible solutions,
and trying a solution over time to make sure that it is effective
■ It becomes necessary to try different options if a problem recurs
○ Decision Making
■ Product of critical thinking that focuses on problem resolution
■ Involves moving back and forth when considering all criteria
● Scientific Critical Thinking
○ Diagnostic Reasoning and Inference
■ Diagnostic Reasoning - analytical process for determining a
patient’s health
■ Diagnostic reasoning helps healthcare providers pinpoint the
NUR 112 FUNDAMENTALS F NURSING-
EXAM 4 BEST STUDY GUIDE Module 13-
Chapter 15 & 16 UPDATED 2022
, NUR 112 FUNDAMENTALS F NURSING-
EXAM 4 BEST STUDY GUIDE Module 13-
Chapter 15 & 16 UPDATED 2022
nature of a problem more quickly and select proper therapies
■ Inference - the process of drawing conclusions from related pieces
of evidence and previous experience with the evidence
■ You form patterns of information from data before making a diagnosis
○ Clinical Decision Making
■ Is a problem-solving activity
■ Focus on defining a problem or diagnosis and selecting
appropriate nursing interventions
■ Requires careful reasoning
● Nursing Process as a Competency
○ ADPIE
○ Purpose is to diagnose and treat human responses
○ American Nurses Association (ANA) developed these standards
A Critical Thinking Model for Clinical Decision Making
● Specific Knowledge Base
○ Knowledge prepares you to better anticipate and identify patient’s
problems by understanding their origin and nature
○ This process includes information and theory from the basic
sciences, humanities, behavioral sciences, and nursing
● Experience
NUR 112 FUNDAMENTALS F NURSING-
EXAM 4 BEST STUDY GUIDE Module 13-
Chapter 15 & 16 UPDATED 2022
