I
am smart – I mean “book” smart. From my first nursing degree in an associate
program to end of my doctoral program – I’ve never gotten a B in any class.
However, when I was in my undergraduate program, I was so overcome with fear
that I wouldn’t be a good nurse.
Why?
Because although I’m book smart, I have
no common sense! Heck, even my Dad still calls me an airhead!
You
see, to be a good nurse, you need both – smarts AND a dose of common sense.
This common sense I talk about can be considered “critical thinking skills” and
I had to work to develop mine.
Action
Steps to develop your critical thinking skills
·
Play the “what if” game – when providing care, ask yourself, “What if
after giving that Lasix I didn’t see an increase in urine output? What would I
do? What if I walked into my
patient’s room at the moment he coughed his trach out? What if… Do this for your most common patient
diagnoses and risks.
·
Active questioning – think about the most common patient problems you
see on your unit. Question yourself – What is the most common complication of
_______? How will I know is they are having that problem? What assessment would tell me this patient was having
that complication? What would I do? How can I prevent? And so on, and so on.
·
Practice prioritization – every time you listen to report, even if you only
have one patient, ask yourself whom you would see first and why? When faced
with multiple patient demands, what would you do first…and why? By practicing
prioritization, you’ll be able to make better decisions when you’re practicing!
I’m
glad to say that I’m a good nurse – both smart and with a hefty dose of
critical thinking. But remember, I had to work at it and still do!
Thanks
so much for reading. Would LOVE to read your comments about the topic of
critical thinking.
Thanks
for choosing to become a nurse. I’m cheering for your success!
Renee
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