From Beyond Memorizing to Critical Thought Think Like a Nurse! From Beyond Memorizing to Critical Thought Presented by Eileen Pierce, SI Program Manager Fall 2017 Week Zero

Critical Thinking in Triage

Questions to Consider What is the difference between memorizing and critical thinking? Which is more important in nursing? Is there room for both? How can you move beyond rote memorization to becoming a critical thinker?

How do you define Critical Thinking? Identify a problem Decide on a solution Select the best method for reaching that solution After implementing solution, analyze what went well and what could be improved Critical thinking includes identifying a problem, determining the best solution and choosing the most effective method of reaching that solution. After executing the plan, critical thinkers reflect on the situation to figure out if it was effective and if it could have been done better.

If you look at these skills in isolation, do they require critical thinking? Dressing a wound Taking a patient’s vitals Inserting an IV You may be able to flawlessly dress a wound, take vitals like a pro or give an IV without flinching, but without the ability to make quick and efficient decisions under pressure, you’ll struggle as a nurse, according to LeeAnn Andronico, Rasmussen College nursing program coordinator. Some critical thinking skills come naturally and others can be acquired and developed during nursing school.

Nursing Courses Purposefully Make You Think Critically Memorizing is NOT enough Answers are not always black/white Sometimes, there will be multiple right answers You have to choose which answer is most right given the particular circumstances Exams are meant to prepare you for the quick, complex decisions you’ll have to make in real-life nursing scenarios But in order to learn in a way that will actually equip you to become an excellent nurse, you have to go beyond just memorizing terms. Andronico says in reality, the answer won’t always be black and white. Your critical thinking skills will be put to the test during nursing exams. Andronico explains that you’ll quickly discover that questions may have multiple “right” answers—though one answer may be “the most right” for that particular situation. This may sound confusing, but it is intentionally done in order to help prepare you for real-life nursing scenarios. You will often find yourself in situations where there are few “correct” forms of care, but one that is most appropriate.

So, how do I become a critical thinker? Whenever you are answering questions: Challenge yourself to think beyond just getting the right answer Ponder why that answer is correct Consider the real-life consequences of a particular answer (solution) Why are other answers less appropriate? When answering questions in class or on exams, challenge yourself to go beyond simply selecting an answer. Start to think about why that answer is correct and what the possible consequences might be. Simply memorizing the material won’t translate well into a real-life nursing setting.

See how all the facts fit together And second, there's building on already-known facts. Like mnemonics, this technique relies on connections and associations. But here, the connections emerge naturally from the material. The fact is no longer an isolated thread, held in place by a clever trick. It's part of a tapestry.

Thinking Critically if practiced regularly over time becomes a mental habit

Critical Thinking Applies to ALL Areas of Life Think about a time at home when you had to make a quick decision under intense pressure? You must be able to quickly and confidently assess situations and make the best care decision in each unique scenario. But critical thinking goes beyond the clinic and is a skill the will be transferable into the rest of your life as well. Your ability to make sound decisions in high pressure situations will surely come in handy at home as well. “Critical thinking skills apply not only to thinking, but also to reading, writing, speaking and listening,” Andronico explains. “You must be able to translate a thought clearly and accurately, quickly and logically so that others understand what you are saying without any confusion.” 

Let’s Practice Critical Thinking a Bit… What feature do the following words have in common? armchair egg imagination over understand They start with a vowel: a, e, i, o, u Remember that you’re looking for connections and patterns.

Another exercise… A good example of how available resources aren’t always used to solve an important problem is this one involving a creative engineering class at M.I.T. The instructor had placed two ping-pong balls at the bottom of a metal cylinder, which was bolted to the floor of the science lab. The cylinder was about seven inches wide and about five feet high. The students had one full hour to remove the ping-pong balls from the cylinder. They could not leave the room but were free to use anything in the room. The professor encouraged them to work together, reminding them that if they found a solution, they would all pass the final exam and if they did not, they would all fail. They all failed. Had you been in that room, how would you have solved the problem? The answer to the M.I.T. problem is “water,” which students could have taken from the faucets in order to float the balls to the top.

Lesson of this PowerPoint? Don’t let your learning become robotic and monotonous! Discipline yourself to stay engaged and involved in your material. And…have confidence in yourself to make critical decisions! "The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend." - Henri Bergson, French Philosopher and Educator