Attempt to Define Critical Thinking

"Experts on critical thinking cannot agree on a definition for it, nor is there one way to measure it or the impact it has on patient care," (Billings & Halstead, 2009). As a nursing community, critical thinking is thought of as one of the cornerstones of the profession especially in terms of delivering quality care to patients. An example perhaps could be trying to decide which patient to assess after receiving report from the leaving primary nurse on a group of patients. Do you assess the patient complaining of a headache, the patient complaining of chest pain who is nauseated, the patient needing a blanket for warmth or the patient with a fever? Yes, this is a simple example of applying critical thinking skills, yet one that is easily understood. I would enjoy some posts from my classmates or "students" on other examples of the application of critical thinking.

                                                                  Reference

Billings, D. M., & Halstead, J. A. (2009). Teaching in nursing: A guide for faculty (3rd ed.). St. Louis, MO:  Saunders Elsevier.  

Also on a footnote...the photo I used on my blog is the site where my sister's cat of 18 years is buried. She had to put "Lucky" down this past summer and is still grieving the loss. His vet who cared for him his entire life allowed my sister to bury him and place a small headstone by the pond in front of his animal clinic and hospital. So, my blog is also a method to remember "Lucky."