Critical Thinking Re: To Nursing
Critical Thinking Related to Nursing
In researching the process of critical thinking, you find many definitions and
explanations. An example of the definition of critical thinking (Shriven & Paul) is the
intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying,
analyzing, synthesizing, and/or generated by, observation, experience, reflection,
reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action.
In her article, Learning to Think Like a Nurse, Pam DiVito-Thomas, PhD, RN
(2005) acknowledges the various definitions of critical thinking. She concedes that
"nearly all definitions of critical thinking emphasize logic and reasoning". The basis for
this article was related to a study conducted by Ms. DiVito-Thomas, involving nursing
students; in an effort to determine which teaching and learning strategies they felt would
help them develop better critical thinking skills. She mentions a theory (Knowles) that
learning occurs by putting "concepts together in meaningful ways based on former
learning experience". Utilizing this theory, Novak suggests that learning occurs by a
process called "concept mapping". Concept mapping is a visual representation of how
gathered information is interrelated and how that, in turn, leads to the acquisition of
knowledge. Below is a wonderful example of mind or concept mapping as it relates to
critical thinking in nursing (University of New Mexico [UNM], School of Nursing):
Critical Thinking 3
Using this map, the student nurse draws a map listing...
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