Unit 1B: Critical Thinking in Health Assessment

Critical Thinking

Purposeful mental activity (problem-solving and decision-making) that guides beliefs and actions

“___ ___ is thinking about your thinking while you're thinking in order to make your thinking better” - Richard Paul

Self-directed, self-monitored, self-corrected

Creative Thinking

A major component of critical thinking

Goal-directed thinking that leads to better solutions using new ideas

Universal Intellectual Standards for Critical Thinking

Standards that must be applied whenever one is interested in checking quality of reasoning

1. Clarity

2. Accuracy

3. Precision

4. Relevance

5. Depth

6. Breadth

7. Logic

8. Fairness

8 Universal Intellectual Standards for Critical Thinking

Clarity

One of the 8 Universal Intellectual Standards for Critical Thinking

Understandable, the meaning can be grasped

Understanding the meaning of something

Clarity

What Universal Intellectual Standard for Critical Thinking is exhibited in the following situation?

A patient says “I’m feeling bad.” The nurse responds, “Can you elaborate further on that?”

Accuracy

One of the 8 Universal Intellectual Standards for Critical Thinking

Free from errors and distortion, true

Accuracy

What Universal Intellectual Standard for Critical Thinking is exhibited in the following questions?

Is that true?

How can we find that’s true?

Precision

One of the 8 Universal Intellectual Standards for Critical Thinking

Exact to the necessary levels of detail

Expand on the topic and has to be more specific, detailed

Precision

What Universal Intellectual Standard for Critical Thinking is trying to be achieved using the following statements?

Give me more details.

Be more specific.

Relevance

One of the 8 Universal Intellectual Standards for Critical Thinking

Relation to the matter at hand

Relevance

What Universal Intellectual Standard for Critical Thinking is exhibited in the following situation?

A patient diagnosed with diarrhea complains of being tired. The nurse investigates how the patient’s diarrhea is related to their fatigue.

Depth

One of the 8 Universal Intellectual Standards for Critical Thinking

Containing the complexities and multiple interrelationships

Dealing with the most significant factors

COLDSPA

Acronym used to assess pain/to obtain depth about pain

Characteristics

Onset

Location

Duration

Severity

Pattern

Associated Signs & Symptoms

What are the factors that need to be considered to obtain depth about pain?

Characteristics

One of the factors that need to be considered to obtain depth about pain

Is the pain stabbing? Growing?

Onset

One of the factors that need to be considered to obtain depth about pain

When did the pain begin?

Location

One of the factors that need to be considered to obtain depth about pain

Where did the pain start? Right Lower Quadrant?

Duration

One of the factors that need to be considered to obtain depth about pain

How long has the pain been occuring?

Severity

One of the factors that need to be considered to obtain depth about pain

On a scale from 1-10, rate your pain.

Pattern

One of the factors that need to be considered to obtain depth about pain

Is the pain straight? Constant? Irregular?

Associated Signs & Symptoms

One of the factors that need to be considered to obtain depth about pain

Are you experiencing fever? Dizziness?

Breadth

One of the 8 Universal Intellectual Standards for Critical Thinking

Encompassing multiple viewpoints

Breadth

What Universal Intellectual Standard for Critical Thinking is exhibited in the following situation?

The nurse is trying to determine the cause of a patient’s diarrhea. Utilizing Gordon’s functional pattern, the nurse decides to take a look at the following three viewpoints:

1. Elimination pattern: Is the stool mushy or formed? What color is the stool?

2. Nutritional pattern: What does the patient eat daily?

3. Spiritual pattern: Does the patient’s religion influence their diet?

Logic

One of the 8 Universal Intellectual Standards for Critical Thinking

Parts make sense together, no contradictions

Logic

What Universal Intellectual Standard for Critical Thinking is exhibited in the following situation?

The dryness of a patient’s skin may indicate diarrhea.

Fairness

One of the 8 Universal Intellectual Standards for Critical Thinking

Justifiable, not self-serving or one-sided

Fairness

What Universal Intellectual Standard for Critical Thinking is exhibited in the following question?

Do I have vested interest in this issue?