N108: Transition to the Registered Professional Nurse

N108: Transition to the Registered Professional Nurse Role Study Guide 1.15 Critical Thinking Critical thinking is a component of making good decisions. Critical thinking is the process of thinking logically. The components of critical thinking are: • Identification of the assumptions behind a decision • Recognition that nursing decisions are complex • Use of creativity Questions for effective critical thinking: • What is the real issue? • What are the pros/cons of the issue? • What are the underlying assumptions? • Is there evidence to support the belief? • Is the data accurate? • Are beliefs consistent? • What are the links and relationships? • What is the cause and effect relationship? Things to be aware of: • Biases • Appeals to emotion • Contradictory thinking • Stereotypes • Conflicts with your value system When going through the critical thinking process, consider how others will accept the results. It is best to be open and affirmative. Decision Making and Problem Solving Decision making and problem solving are other strategies for providing good nursing care. One component of making good decisions is problem solving, which itself has two components: thinking and knowledge. Problem solving is a process with two types of strategies. One strategy is to use algorithms. An algorithm is a detailed, specific step in a diagram for solving a well-defined problem. Example The client’s condition is typically treated with penicillin. Ask yourself, is the client allergic to penicillin? If yes, then ask, is the client allergic to any other medications? If not, find another appropriate treatment. If so, determine which medications the client is allergic to. Then administer the appropriate dosage. Problem solving is a series of steps. These steps are similar to the nursing process. • Collect data (assessment) • Define problems (diagnosis) • Select strategies (plan) • Take action (implementation) • Evaluate results (evaluation)

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