IMPLEMENTATION OF

CRITICAL THINKING IN
NURSING

Presented by: roll no. 31-40

BSc. Nursing 2nd year
MCOMS
OBJECTIVES

 General Objective
At the end of this class presentation , all the classmates will be able to gain
the in-depth knowledge about the implementation of critical thinking in
nursing.

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 Specific Objectives
At the end of this class presentation all the classmates will be able to:
• Enlist the importance of critical thinking in nursing
• Mention the characteristics of critical thinker
• Describe the steps of implementation in the nursing process
• List the strategies to develop critical thinking in nursing
• Summarize

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 IMPORTANCE OF CRITICAL THINKING IN
NURSING

Critical thinking is essential in nursing for several reasons:

1. Patient safety : Nurses must assess patient’s conditions accurately and make

quick decisions to ensure their safety. Critical thinking helps in identifying

potential issues before they escalate.

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2. Clinical judgement : It enables the nurses to evaluate data, prioritize care and

implement appropriate interventions based on evidence and patient needs.

3. Problem solving : Nurses often encounter complex situations that require

innovative solutions. Critical thinking fosters creativity and resourcefulness in

addressing these challenges

4. Effective communication : By thinking critically, nurses can articulate their
observations and concerns clearly to other healthcare team members, enhancing
collaboration.
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5. Ethical decision making : Nurses face ethical dilemmas regularly. Critical

thinking assists in weighing options and considering the implications of

decisions on patient care.

6. Life-long learning : The healthcare field is constantly evolving, Critical

thinking encourages ongoing learning and adaptation to new information and

practices.

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 CHARACTERISTICS OF CRITICAL THINKER IN
NURSING PRACTICE

1. Open mindedness

Critical thinkers in nursing maintain an open mind to various possibilities and

perspectives. They are willing to listen to others, accept feedback and integrate

new ideas. This trait allows nurses to provide personalized care by considering

each patient’s unique condition and background.

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2. Analytical thinking

A critical thinker in nursing has the ability to analyze information systematically.

Nurses must break down complex situations, such as a patient’s symptoms or lab

results, to identify the underlying issues and determine the most appropriate

interventions.

3. CONFIDENCE IN REASONING

Nurses who think critically have confidence in their reasoning abilities. They
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trust their judgement and decision making process, especially when dealing with

high-pressure situations such as emergencies.

4. Curiosity

Curiosity drives critical thinkers to ask questions, explore possibilities, and more

information to fully understand a situation. In nursing, curiosity leads to deeper

assessments, more accurate diagnosis and the pursuit of ongoing learning to

improve patient care.

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5. Humility

Critical thinkers in nursing acknowledge when they don’t know something or

when they’ve made an error. Intellectual humility allows nurses to seek help

when necessary and continuously learn from their experiences and colleagues.

6. Reflective thinking

It involves evaluation past experiences to identify what worked well and what

didn’t. Nurses use reflective practice to improve the future decision making by
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analyzing their actions and learning from their mistakes.

7. Flexibility

In nursing, circumstance can change rapidly. Critical thinkers are flexible and

adaptable, able to shift their thinking and approaches when new information

arises or when patient condition evolve.

8. Integrity

A critical thinker values honesty and in their decision- making process .They
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ensure that their actions are based on evidence, ethical standards and the best

interests of the patient.

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 STEPS OF IMPLEMENTATION IN THE NURSING
PROCESS

1. Comprehensive patient assessment

Nurses begin by gathering thorough and accurate patient data through

observation, physical examination, interviews, and reviewing medical histories.

Critical thinking enables nurses to differentiate between relevant and irrelevant

information, identify patterns and recognize early signs of potential problems.

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(For example; During assessment, a nurse notices subtle changes in patient’s

respiratory rate. Rather than dismissing it as normal, the nurse critically analyzes

the data to identify a potential early sign of respiratory distress)

2. Formulation of Nursing diagnosis

Once the assessment is complete, nurse must use critical thinking to interpret the

data and formulate nursing diagnosis. This step requires ability to identify actual,

or potential health problems, prioritize issues and use diagnostic reasoning to

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understand underlying causes.

(For example; A patient presents with elevated blood pressure and dizziness, The

nurse uses critical thinking to explore possible cause (e.g. Dehydration ,

medication side effects ) and prioritizes the patient’s most immediate needs.)

3. Development of care plans

In the planning phase, nurses apply critical thinking to create individualized care

plans. This involves setting realistic goals and selecting appropriate nursing
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interventions. Nurses must evaluate the evidence supporting different

interventions and predict potential patient outcomes based on their current

condition.

(For example; For a diabetic patient, the nurse may need to critically evaluate

which interventions e.g. diet management, medication adjustments will most

effectively control blood sugar levels while considering the patient’s preferences

of lifestyles.) 16
4. Implementations of interventions

Nurses use critical thinking during the implementation of care. They must

continuously assess the situation and modify interventions as needed. This

includes anticipating potential complications and making real-time adjustments

to ensure the best outcomes for patient.

(For example; A nurse administering medication to a post-surgical patient

critically monitors for any adverse reactions and adjusts the care plan

accordingly if the patient experiences side effects.) 17

5. Evaluation of outcomes

Nurses evaluate the effectiveness of their interventions through critical thinking.

This step involves analyzing the patient’s progress towards meeting established

goals and deciding whether to continue, modify or discontinue interventions.

(For example; After providing pain management intervention, the nurse evaluate

whether the patient’s pain has decreased and of the patient can participate in

physical therapy. If not nurse reassesses the plan and considers alternative pain

control method.) 18
6. Reflective practice

Aftercare is provided, nurses engage in reflective practice to analyze their actions

and decisions. Critical thinking used to assess what went well and what could be

improved. This process of reflection helps nurses to refine their clinical

judgement and decision- making skills for future patient care.

(For example; After an emergency situation, the nurse reflects on how quickly

interventions were initiated and whether any delays or misjudgment occurred.)

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STRATEGIES TO DEVELOP CRITICAL THINKING
SKILLS

Reflective practice Questioning technique

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Collaboration and communication Evidence-based practice

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Prioritization and time management Continuous learning

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Evaluating Questions

Multiple choice questions

1. What is the primary purpose of implementing critical thinking in nursing

practice?

a. to increase the speed of decision making

b. to follow standard procedures without question
c. to improve patient outcomes by making informed, evidenced based
decisions.
d. to reduce the need for collaboration with other healthcare professionals

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2. Which of the following best describes critical thinking in nursing?

a. relying on institution to make quick decisions

b. following the same protocol for every patient
c. systematically assessing and analyzing patient information to make
individualized care decisions
d. referring all complex decisions to a supervising physician

Fill in the blanks

1. Critical thinking in nursing requires the ability to carefully ____ patient

information, assess needs and determine the best course of action.
Ans: analyze
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2. A characteristics of critical thinking in nursing is ______ which involves
considering multiple perspective and seeking the most accurate and effective
solution for the patient.
Ans: open-mindedness

WH questions

1. What is critical thinking?

2. What are the importance of implementation of critical thinking in nursing

Assignment

Define critical thinking. List the characteristics of critical thinking.

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References

Book reference
1. Alfaro-Lefeure, “critical thinking, critical reasoning and critical judgement”
ELSEVIER Pvt. Ltd.
7th edition
page no: 312-315

Net reference
1. https://www.slideshare.net.com
2. https://wtcs.pressbook.pub.com

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thank
you