critical thinking nursing

critical thinking nursing

Developing Critical Thinking Skills

1. Introduction

Critical thinking in today’s society is more important than ever before. We live in a continuously changing world where it is difficult to predict what will happen next. Although we can’t prevent our minds from making assumptions, it is still possible to approach these in a controlled and critical way. When this is done, the results are usually much more favorable. Critical thinking helps us to separate the two, and as a result of this, we are able to make more sound decisions. One of the greatest assets of critical thinking is the ability to distinguish between what is true and what is false in a logical way. In other words, it’s careful, deliberate determination of whether we should accept, reject or suspend judgment about a claim and the way we arrive at that determination. People who think critically are able to see things from different points of view. Open-mindedness is an important factor, as critical thinkers need to listen to others and consider all sides of an issue. They are willing to examine their beliefs, to be self-critical, and to tolerate being criticized by others. Coming to a well-informed conclusion is the end result.

2. Importance of Critical Thinking

Developing Critical Thinking Skills tackles the vital question of determining if and to what extent critical thinking can and should be taught. At a time when “everyone seems to recognize the importance of critical thinking,” it contends that critical thinking will not effectively be taught without a clear understanding of what should be taught and how to teach it. The book is intended to be a guide both for those who seek to develop critical thinking curricula of their own and for individuals who are interested in working on their own thinking. It is divided into six sections that broadly follow the logical development of the question, start with a short reiteration of the importance of the question (addressed in chapter 1), then take up the question of what it is that critical thinking is and how it is best conceived (chapters 2-4), the next two sections consider what can be known about the teachability of critical thinking (chapters 5-7) and what can be determined about how it is best taught (chapters 8-9), end with a summary of the important points in the remainder of the book which then provides recommendations and guidelines for educational reform to better foster critical thinking (chapter 10).

3. Examples of Critical Thinking Skills

It is important to provide a specific definition of critical thinking as a basis for examples of critical thinking skills. There are some highly specific, although not inflexible, skills that are a clear example of critical thinking. These specific examples, arranged according to a taxonomy developed by the APA Delphi expert consensus panel, can be applied to any of the general goals. Keep in mind that the examples provided here can be expanded in terms of their complexity and specificity. Though useful in providing a basis for understanding a generic positive critical thinking attitude which includes being both willing and able to assess strengths and weaknesses of a decision, state of mind or belief and the evidence which supports it as well as a willingness to self-assess and repair flaws in one’s own thinking. The APA Delphi report represents an agreement by a diverse group of experts in terms of the characteristics of an ideal critical thinker. But for now we will focus on the skills themselves, and expand more on the other characteristics later.

4. Strategies for Enhancing Critical Thinking

Some of the strategies for enhancing critical thinking skills are deep breathing and drinking water. These two strategies we do without even thinking and are very effective in getting us to the next step in critical thinking. When we take deep breaths, we are also giving our brain more oxygen, which aids in brain function. Drinking water helps our body to stay hydrated. Our body needs water to function properly, and when it is not getting enough water, it doesn’t perform to the best of its ability. By keeping the body rested and healthy, it aids in critical thinking. Kurland also suggests writing on a daily basis. Writing is a way of organizing our thoughts and testing the accuracy of the knowledge we have obtained. By jotting down our thoughts, it is less likely that they’ll be skewed, but rather well thought out. Another strategy is to employ Socratic Questioning. This is a type of questioning that gets to the root of a problem or subject. This involves asking open-ended questions to assess an individual’s or group’s basic beliefs. In reading, a strategy is to retell what you have read in your own words. This process requires a person to understand what they have read and put it into their own thinking. If the person is unable to do this, it is a tell-tale sign that they do not fully understand what was read. Another strategy is to evaluate the pros/cons and the advantages/disadvantages of things. This forces a person to look at all sides of an issue, and not just one. This is often an error in thinking. And as a final strategy, taking time to be in solitude is important. Often times the pace of society is too fast for good thinking to occur. This is not to say that we don’t need to think, we need to think now more than ever, but with the right thinking, people can make well thought out decisions and solve problems well. So as the activities of thinking are so important, the quality must not be sacrificed for the quantity in today’s faster paced society. These are all helpful strategies for improving one’s critical thinking skills.

5. Conclusion

You should thus be aware of your own weaknesses as a thinker – your lack of knowledge in certain subjects, your tendency to question on the basis of first impressions, your likely to accept “truth” which is not supported by evidence, and your prejudices. But one doesn’t become a seasoned critical thinker overnight, any more than one becomes a virtuoso violinist or a fabulous golfer in a few days, weeks or months. Accordingly, if you are to develop your acts of thought in the direction of better critical thinking, you must apply a strategy that ensures results. You will have to be patient and consistent. It will involve beginning with the development of certain inter-related critical thinking abilities and skills and, once they are developed, going on to develop the next set and increasing the difficulty and depth of their application. There are certain general thinking requirements, or prerequisites, without which it is not possible to think critically. Before one can begin to improve one’s thinking, one must recognize the extent of any problems there may be. This would involve becoming aware of one’s thinking, defining its weaknesses and taking steps to overcome them. From this it should be clear the first step to thinking critically is to become a critic of your thinking. This would involve revisiting a day in your life analyzing your behavior and thoughts in everyday situations with a view to discovering how you reached the conclusions you made and why you acted as you did. We must also understand that there are interrelated internal and external motivators in an individual which determine thinking and behavior. This means that changing behavior is not easy. Following this, the process to critical thinking must be systematic in order to identify the exact problem and the assumptions underlying it. An understanding of the implications and the consistent application of the steps until a resolution is reached are vital to effective thinking. In supporting this sort of thinking Skinner, who has been referred to as the most influential behaviorist of the trio achieving his fame and influence on the basis of his philosophy of radical behaviorism, stated that a clear statement of the goals of particular behavior followed by reinforcement in the face of success and the close examination of whether the goals have or have not been met, are the only ways to behavioral change. This has clear correlations to critical thinking as it essentially behavior change of thought in order to correct thinking and behavior.