Chapter 15: Critical Thinking and Clinical Judgment

Which characteristic helps nurses form clinical judgment enabling patient care problem solving?

a. insecurity

b. open-mindedness

c. occasional inquiry

d. passivity

b. open-mindedness

Which critical thinking skills require the nurse to be orderly in collecting data about patients and apply reasoning while looking for patterns to emerge?

a. inference

b. analysis

c. interpretation

d. explanation

c. interpretation

Which step is a part of the nursing process?

Select all that apply. One, some, or all responses may be correct.

a. Diagnosis

b. Recognize cues

c. Generate solutions

d. Outcome identification

e. Implementation

f. Prioritize problems

a. Diagnosis

d. Outcome identification

e. implementation

Which multistep process is used to systematically conduct research and solve problems using reasoning?

a. Critical thinking competencies

b. Nursing process

c. Scientific method

d. Cognitive skills

c. Scientific method

Which process is essential for effective clinical decision making?

Select all that apply. One, some, or all responses may be correct.

a. Inductive reasoning

b. Deductive reasoning

c. Analogical reasoning

d. Inferences

e. Cause and effect

a. Inductive reasoning

b. Deductive reasoning

d. Inferences

Which critical thinking level requires nurses to take responsibility for their own choices without getting assistance from others?

a. Basic

b. Intermediate

c. Complex

d. Commitment

d. Commitment

Which nursing skill is necessary for critical thinking?

Select all that apply. One, some, or all responses may be correct.

a. Collect and report patient changes

b. Observe for changes in patient conditions

c. Recognize and identify new and potential problems

d. Analyze plan of care when patient changes occur

e. Discuss with the provider when patient conditions worsen

b. Observe for changes in patient conditions

c. Recognize and identify new and potential problems

Which factor helps the nurse gain competence to apply the clinical judgment model?

a. Novice

b. Diffidence

c. Time

d. Task-oriented

c. Time

Which factors would the nurse consider before making a clinical decision using the nursing process?

a. Understanding and application 

b. Planning and implementation

c. Inclusion of objective and subjective data

d. Open-mindedness and continual inquiry

a. Understanding and application 

Which type of thinking is commonly used for well-structured and familiar decision tasks?

a. Creative

b. Intuitive

c. Analytical

d. Abstract

b. Intuitive

Which nursing task requires critical thinking, decision making, and prioritization when caring for a postoperative patient?

a. Repositioning patient to prevent pressure injuries every 2 hours

b. Taking vital signs to monitor patient status every 4 hours

c. Providing antianxiety medications and coping techniques

d. Assessing a patient’s home medications and living situation

c. Providing antianxiety medications and coping techniques

Which approach would the nurse use that reflects complex critical thinking when assisting a patient who continues to struggle with self-administering a cholesterol medication subcutaneously despite previous instruction?

Select all that apply. One, some, or all responses may be correct.

a. Moving the injection site to the stomach

b. Repeating the previous instructions more slowly

c. Suggesting a different gripping technique

d. Providing a written guide with images

e. Referring the patient to another provider

a. Moving the injection site to the stomach

c. Suggesting a different gripping technique

Which step begins the clinical judgment process?

a. clinical decisions

b. recognizing cues

c. patient needs

d. analyzing information

c. patient needs

Which factor is the most critical source of knowledge a nurse needs to be able to think critically in the clinical setting?

a. patient data

b. academic research reports

c. theoretical knowledge

d/ institutional policies

a. patient data

Which clinical learning experience is necessary to acquire clinical judgment?

Select all that apply. One, some, or all responses may be correct.

a. Observation

b. Reading clinical journals

c. Clinical nursing tasks

d. Reflective journaling

e. Reactive thinking

f. Talking with patients and families

a. Observation

c. Clinical nursing tasks

d. Reflective journaling

Which term refers to the ability to believe in oneself?

a. ambition

b. optimism

c. determination

d. confidence

d. confidence

Which area of focus would the nurse prioritize when using critical thinking to make decisions?

a. perseverance

b. creativity

c. confidence

d. curiosity

e. integrity

b. creativity

d. curiosity

e. integrity

Which tool is used by nurses for self-evaluation?

a. Reporting

b. Charting

c. Journaling

d. Monitoring

c. Journaling

Which hospital tool is used to foster reflection and accountability in nursing care?

a. concept maps

b. time-outs

c. safety huddles

d. daily rounds

c. safety huddles

Which learning activity allows students to meet in small groups and link theory and practice while investigating a given issue?

a. Concept maps

b. Case study training

c. Group sessions

d. Interactive clinical labs

b. Case study training

Which individual is applying critical thinking?

a. Nursing student observing another nurse place a Foley catheter into a patient’s bladder

b. Registered nurse (RN) recognizing a patient could not self-dose asthma medication and provides assistance

c. New graduate nurse performing a dressing change on a patient for the second time

d. Licensed practical nurse (LPN/LVN) administering insulin and requesting another nurse to check math calculations

b. Registered nurse (RN) recognizing a patient could not self-dose asthma medication and provides assistance

Which scenario best describes a nurse applying scientific knowledge in patient care? 

a. A nurse focusing on the task of medication administration and ensuring correct calculation to administer

b. A nurse evaluating a diabetic patient for expected symptoms and the effects on the body

c. A nurse discussing with the charge nurse a clinical change postoperative patient

d. A nurse removing an IV before discharge, per the hospital policy and procedural instructions

b. A nurse evaluating a diabetic patient for expected symptoms and the effects on the body

The nurse is taking a report from the previous shift nurse, who stated the patient was aggressive, noncompliant, and verbally abusive. Which intellectual standard best describes the nurse assuming care of the patient with an open-mind and desire to meet the patient’s needs?

a. Integrity

b. Thinking independently

c. Fairness

d. Discipline

c. Fairness

Which factor of critical thinking contributes to a nurse's ability to solve problems in various ways while ensuring patient safety?

a. Discipline

b. Risk Taking

c. Fairness

d. Responsibility and Accountability

b. Risk Taking

Which area of focus for critical thinking demonstrates honesty and a willingness to admit mistakes that builds trust with coworkers?

a. Responsibility 

b. Discipline

c. Integrity

d. Creativity

c. Integrity

Which step is part of the reflective journaling model?

Select all that apply. One, some, or all responses may be correct.

Identification

Confidentiality

Description

Significance

Timeliness

Implications

Identification, Description, Significance, Implications

Which nursing method requires the nurse to identify, organize, cluster, interpret, and relate all presented data and information?

Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation (SBAR)

Time-out

Daily rounds

Concept map

Concept map

Which learning activity for students is an example of active learning by doing things?

Select all that apply. One, some, or all responses may be correct.

Reading clinical journals

Creating concept maps

Reviewing clinical case studies

Analyzing unfolding case studies

Attending lectures and applying knowledge

Creating concept maps

Analyzing unfolding case studies