Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing 14e (Hinkle 2017) - Critical Thinking, Ethical Decision Making and the Nursing Process Related

Review Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing 14e (Hinkle 2017) - Critical Thinking, Ethical Decision Making and the Nursing Process related questions and content

Achieving adequate pain management for a postoperative patient will require sophisticated critical thinking skills by the nurse. What are the potential benefits of critical thinking in nursing?

  • A. Enhancing the nurses clinical decision making
  • B. Identifying the patients individual preferences
  • C. Planning the best nursing actions to assist the patient
  • D. Increasing the accuracy of the nurses judgments
  • E. Helping identify the patients priority needs
Correct Answer: A,C,D,E

Rationale: Independent judgments and decisions evolve from a sound knowledge base and the ability to synthesize information within the context in which it is presented. Critical thinking enhances clinical decision making, helping to identify patient needs and the best nursing actions that will assist patients in meeting those needs. Critical thinking does not normally focus on identify patient desires; these would be identified by asking the patient.