Chapter 2 – Critical Thinking and the Nursing Process
What Are Critical-Thinking Skills?
Skills in critical thinking refer to the cognitive (intellectual)
processes used in complex thinking operations such as problem-
solving and decision making.
When planning nursing care, nurses gather information about the
client (skill) and then draw tentative conclusions about the
meaning of the information (complex thinking process) to
identify the client’s problems. Then they think of several different
actions they might take to help solve or relieve the problem.
The following are examples of critical-thinking skills:
Objectively gathering information on a problem or issue
Recognizing the need for more information
Evaluating the credibility and usefulness of sources of
information
Recognizing gaps in one’s own knowledge
Listening carefully; reading thoughtfully
Separating relevant from irrelevant data and important from
unimportant data
Organizing or grouping information in meaningful ways
Making inferences (tentative conclusions) about the meaning
of the information
Visualizing potential solutions to a problem
Exploring the advantages, disadvantages, and consequences
of each potential action
, Evaluating the credibility and usefulness of sources of
information
Recognizing differences and similarities among things or
situations
Prioritizing or ranking data as needed
What Are Critical-Thinking Attitudes?
Attitudes are not the same as intellectual skills. They are more
like feelings and states of mind. Your attitudes and character
determine whether you will use your thinking skills fairly and with
an open mind. Without a critical attitude, people tend to use
thinking skills to justify narrow-mindedness and prejudice and to
benefit themselves rather than others. The following are some
critical-thinking attitudes (Paul, 1990):
Independent thinking. Critical thinkers do not believe
everything they are told or just go along with the crowd. They
listen to what others think and they learn from new ideas. They
do not accept or reject an idea before they understand it. Nurses
should challenge actions, practices, and policies having little
logical support.
Intellectual curiosity. Critical thinkers love to learn new
things. They are inquisitive, exhibit an attitude of inquiry, and
frequently think or ask, “What if …?” “How could we do this
differently?” “How does this work?” or “Why did that happen?”
Intellectual humility. Critical thinkers are aware that they
do not know everything. When they are unsure, they are not too
proud or embarrassed to ask for help from mentors with wisdom,
knowledge, skill, and ability. They reevaluate their conclusions or
actions in light of new information and are willing to admit when
they are wrong.
What Are Critical-Thinking Skills?
Skills in critical thinking refer to the cognitive (intellectual)
processes used in complex thinking operations such as problem-
solving and decision making.
When planning nursing care, nurses gather information about the
client (skill) and then draw tentative conclusions about the
meaning of the information (complex thinking process) to
identify the client’s problems. Then they think of several different
actions they might take to help solve or relieve the problem.
The following are examples of critical-thinking skills:
Objectively gathering information on a problem or issue
Recognizing the need for more information
Evaluating the credibility and usefulness of sources of
information
Recognizing gaps in one’s own knowledge
Listening carefully; reading thoughtfully
Separating relevant from irrelevant data and important from
unimportant data
Organizing or grouping information in meaningful ways
Making inferences (tentative conclusions) about the meaning
of the information
Visualizing potential solutions to a problem
Exploring the advantages, disadvantages, and consequences
of each potential action
, Evaluating the credibility and usefulness of sources of
information
Recognizing differences and similarities among things or
situations
Prioritizing or ranking data as needed
What Are Critical-Thinking Attitudes?
Attitudes are not the same as intellectual skills. They are more
like feelings and states of mind. Your attitudes and character
determine whether you will use your thinking skills fairly and with
an open mind. Without a critical attitude, people tend to use
thinking skills to justify narrow-mindedness and prejudice and to
benefit themselves rather than others. The following are some
critical-thinking attitudes (Paul, 1990):
Independent thinking. Critical thinkers do not believe
everything they are told or just go along with the crowd. They
listen to what others think and they learn from new ideas. They
do not accept or reject an idea before they understand it. Nurses
should challenge actions, practices, and policies having little
logical support.
Intellectual curiosity. Critical thinkers love to learn new
things. They are inquisitive, exhibit an attitude of inquiry, and
frequently think or ask, “What if …?” “How could we do this
differently?” “How does this work?” or “Why did that happen?”
Intellectual humility. Critical thinkers are aware that they
do not know everything. When they are unsure, they are not too
proud or embarrassed to ask for help from mentors with wisdom,
knowledge, skill, and ability. They reevaluate their conclusions or
actions in light of new information and are willing to admit when
they are wrong.
