A Reflection on Developing Critical Thinking Skills in Nursing Education. The after-degree nursing program at the University of Alberta provides a wide collection of different learning experiences that help to support the transition from nursing student to professional practice. In order to be successful in this program, students will need to develop sound critical thinking skills as this will assist them in making clinical decisions and providing safe patient care. Critical thinking is a conscious judgment that leads one to interpret, analyze, infer and explain evidence (Bittencourt & Da Gracia, 2012). Furthermore, it is a process of active and skillful perception that involves analysis, synthesis and evaluation of available information through observation and communication, leading to decision making (Papathansiou, et al, 2014).
In today’s health care system, nurses are faced with increasing patient acuity, and complex situations involving, family members and the interdisciplinary team. Therefore, to provide holistic care, they need to develop sound critical thinking skills (Potter & Romyn, 2014). Developing proficiency in this skill will help nurses to respond quickly to changes in the client’s condition and to determine priorities of care based on the urgency of the situation (Shoulders, Follet & Eason, 2014). The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the process of my identification and development of critical thinking during my nursing program including my current abilities in relation to this skill. Furthermore, I will reflect on the utilization of this skill in various clinical placements and in my final nursing preceptorship. Again, I will discuss its implication for future practice and how this skill will serve .
.. A reminding incident was when I had a patient who was two hours’ post-surgery and was denying pain. As I respected his right to refuse medications, I also identified the fact that the patient was concerned about addiction to opioids. I was able to provide education on the importance of pain control after surgery and how his prescribed doses were too small to cause an addiction. In this case, my critical thinking abilities encouraged curiosity and open-mindedness.
As a student ready to graduate and currently in my preceptorship, I believe I have progressed from the complex stage to the commitment phase. Through the guidance of my preceptor, I am encouraged to be independent in my practice and to make choices that I can be accountable for. In the commitment phase, one is able to identify a course of action and be responsible for their choices (Potter & Romyn, 2014).
