1
Chapter 05: Critical Thinking: A Lifelong Journey
Knecht: Success in Practical/Vocational Nursing
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A first-postoperative-day patient received pain medication
6 hours ago. He states he is not experiencing pain but
refuses to deep breathe and ambulate as ordered. The
nursing student caring for him consults her instructor,
asking whether it might be advisable to administer pain
medication. The student is using
a. the right brain hemisphere.
b. the intrapersonal learning style.
c. linguistic memory.
d. critical thinking.
ANS: D
The student has questioned the reason for the patient’s
refusal to deep breathe and ambulate and has suggested that
a possible cause may be the presence of discomfort that
could be relieved by medication. This qualifies as critical
thinking. The action described is not a good example of
right brain hemisphere use or use of the intrapersonal
learning style, and it is not related to linguistics.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: p. 67 | p. 68 OBJ: 2 | 3
TOP: Critical thinking KEY: Nursing Process Step: PlanningMSC: NCLEX: Physiological
Integrity
2. The nursing student tells a peer, “Once I begin studying, I don’t dare take a break. If I stop
for even 5 minutes, I know I’ll never go back to studying.” The peer identifies this statement
as
a. negative thinking.
b. random thinking.
c. ruminative thinking.
d. all-or-nothing thinking.
ANS: D
All-or-nothing thinking is characterized by making up one’s mind and not considering any
additional facts. The thinking is black and white, without grays. Negative thinking occurs
when the mind is stuck on negative thoughts and cannot move to other thinking. Random
thinking is characterized by intermittent thoughts without purpose or goal. Ruminative
thinking occurs when the individual focuses on a situation or scene and repeatedly replays it
in the mind.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: p. 66 OBJ: 1
TOP: Critical thinking KEY: Nursing Process Step: N/A
MSC: NCLEX: N/A
3. A patient tells the nursing student, “I keep thinking of the mistake I made that led to the
accident. I can’t get it out of my mind. Now my son has a broken leg.” The nursing
student correctly identifies this as
a. random thinking.
b. habitual thinking.
c. ruminative thinking.
d. directed thinking.
Download All Chapters Here :
https://www.stuvia.com/doc/3675624
, 2
ANS: C
Ruminative thinking replays the same situation repeatedly without reaching an outcome.
Random thinking involves many thoughts or scenes running aimlessly through the mind.
Habitual thinking involves routines performed as if on automatic pilot. Directed thinking is
purposeful and outcome oriented.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: p. 66 OBJ: 1
TOP: Critical thinking
KEY: Nursing Process Step: Assessment (Data Collection)
MSC: NCLEX: Safe, Effective Care Environment
4. Which question should be asked by a nursing student who is developing a plan to increase
his critical thinking ability so as to achieve higher grades?
a. “Do I comprehend information from textbooks and classes?”
b. “I wonder how to improve my overall efficiency.”
c. “I’ll have to learn from my mistakes.”
d. “Someone needs to check my conclusions.”
ANS: A
This question deals with an important aspect of using critical thinking in nursing. One must
comprehend the information and then be able to recall and apply it. “I wonder how to improve my
overall efficiency” is a diffuse question and does not lend itself to planning without first being
narrowed and better focused. The other two options are not questions.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: p. 68 OBJ: 7
TOP: Critical thinking KEY: Nursing Process Step: N/A
MSC: NCLEX: N/A
5. The student reads a definition of a nursing term and is asked to state whether the sentence
is true or false. The cognitive level of this exercise is
a. knowledge.
b. comprehension.
c. application.
d. analysis.
ANS: A
Knowledge refers to the ability to recall and repeat memorized information. The other options
are higher cognitive levels—comprehension: the ability to basically understand information,
recall it, and identify examples; application: the ability to use learned material in new
situations; analysis: to break down complex information into its basic parts and relate those
parts to the whole picture.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: p. 70 OBJ: 4
TOP: Cognitive levels KEY: Nursing Process Step: N/A
MSC: NCLEX: N/A
6. When an instructor asks a nursing student to answer a question in her or his own words and
give an example, the cognitive level used is
a. knowledge.
b. comprehension.
c. application.
d. analysis.
ANS: B
Comprehension refers to the ability to understand information, recall it, and identify examples.
Knowledge is the ability to recall and repeat memorized information. Application refers to
being able to use learned information in new situations. Analysis refers to being able to break
down complex information into its basic parts and relate the parts to the whole.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: p. 70 OBJ: 4
TOP: Cognitive levels KEY: Nursing Process Step: N/A
MSC: NCLEX: N/A
Download All Chapters Here :
https://www.stuvia.com/doc/3675624
Chapter 05: Critical Thinking: A Lifelong Journey
Knecht: Success in Practical/Vocational Nursing
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A first-postoperative-day patient received pain medication
6 hours ago. He states he is not experiencing pain but
refuses to deep breathe and ambulate as ordered. The
nursing student caring for him consults her instructor,
asking whether it might be advisable to administer pain
medication. The student is using
a. the right brain hemisphere.
b. the intrapersonal learning style.
c. linguistic memory.
d. critical thinking.
ANS: D
The student has questioned the reason for the patient’s
refusal to deep breathe and ambulate and has suggested that
a possible cause may be the presence of discomfort that
could be relieved by medication. This qualifies as critical
thinking. The action described is not a good example of
right brain hemisphere use or use of the intrapersonal
learning style, and it is not related to linguistics.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: p. 67 | p. 68 OBJ: 2 | 3
TOP: Critical thinking KEY: Nursing Process Step: PlanningMSC: NCLEX: Physiological
Integrity
2. The nursing student tells a peer, “Once I begin studying, I don’t dare take a break. If I stop
for even 5 minutes, I know I’ll never go back to studying.” The peer identifies this statement
as
a. negative thinking.
b. random thinking.
c. ruminative thinking.
d. all-or-nothing thinking.
ANS: D
All-or-nothing thinking is characterized by making up one’s mind and not considering any
additional facts. The thinking is black and white, without grays. Negative thinking occurs
when the mind is stuck on negative thoughts and cannot move to other thinking. Random
thinking is characterized by intermittent thoughts without purpose or goal. Ruminative
thinking occurs when the individual focuses on a situation or scene and repeatedly replays it
in the mind.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: p. 66 OBJ: 1
TOP: Critical thinking KEY: Nursing Process Step: N/A
MSC: NCLEX: N/A
3. A patient tells the nursing student, “I keep thinking of the mistake I made that led to the
accident. I can’t get it out of my mind. Now my son has a broken leg.” The nursing
student correctly identifies this as
a. random thinking.
b. habitual thinking.
c. ruminative thinking.
d. directed thinking.
Download All Chapters Here :
https://www.stuvia.com/doc/3675624
, 2
ANS: C
Ruminative thinking replays the same situation repeatedly without reaching an outcome.
Random thinking involves many thoughts or scenes running aimlessly through the mind.
Habitual thinking involves routines performed as if on automatic pilot. Directed thinking is
purposeful and outcome oriented.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: p. 66 OBJ: 1
TOP: Critical thinking
KEY: Nursing Process Step: Assessment (Data Collection)
MSC: NCLEX: Safe, Effective Care Environment
4. Which question should be asked by a nursing student who is developing a plan to increase
his critical thinking ability so as to achieve higher grades?
a. “Do I comprehend information from textbooks and classes?”
b. “I wonder how to improve my overall efficiency.”
c. “I’ll have to learn from my mistakes.”
d. “Someone needs to check my conclusions.”
ANS: A
This question deals with an important aspect of using critical thinking in nursing. One must
comprehend the information and then be able to recall and apply it. “I wonder how to improve my
overall efficiency” is a diffuse question and does not lend itself to planning without first being
narrowed and better focused. The other two options are not questions.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: p. 68 OBJ: 7
TOP: Critical thinking KEY: Nursing Process Step: N/A
MSC: NCLEX: N/A
5. The student reads a definition of a nursing term and is asked to state whether the sentence
is true or false. The cognitive level of this exercise is
a. knowledge.
b. comprehension.
c. application.
d. analysis.
ANS: A
Knowledge refers to the ability to recall and repeat memorized information. The other options
are higher cognitive levels—comprehension: the ability to basically understand information,
recall it, and identify examples; application: the ability to use learned material in new
situations; analysis: to break down complex information into its basic parts and relate those
parts to the whole picture.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: p. 70 OBJ: 4
TOP: Cognitive levels KEY: Nursing Process Step: N/A
MSC: NCLEX: N/A
6. When an instructor asks a nursing student to answer a question in her or his own words and
give an example, the cognitive level used is
a. knowledge.
b. comprehension.
c. application.
d. analysis.
ANS: B
Comprehension refers to the ability to understand information, recall it, and identify examples.
Knowledge is the ability to recall and repeat memorized information. Application refers to
being able to use learned information in new situations. Analysis refers to being able to break
down complex information into its basic parts and relate the parts to the whole.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: p. 70 OBJ: 4
TOP: Cognitive levels KEY: Nursing Process Step: N/A
MSC: NCLEX: N/A
Download All Chapters Here :
https://www.stuvia.com/doc/3675624
