Deck 21: Critical Thinking

Question 1

The nurse notes that her client is passive,shows no emotion,makes no eye contact,and says such things as,"It doesn't matter." The nurse believes that these cues may indicate a nursing diagnosis of hopelessness.What kind of reasoning is the nurse using?

A)Inductive
B)Deductive
C)Trial-and-error
D)Intuitive

Answer 1

Inductive

Question 2

Nurses must use critical thinking in their day-to-day practice.In which of the following situations would critical thinking be most beneficial?

A)Administering IV push meds to critically ill clients
B)Educating a home health client about treatment options
C)Teaching new parents car seat safety
D)Assisting an orthopedic client with the proper use of crutches

Answer 2

Educating a home health client about treatment options

Question 3

Mr.Bazinet,47,is admitted with unstable cardiac dysrhythmias.His medication is ordered by either IV or oral route.The nurse is concerned that although the IV route is the fastest,Mr.Bazinet has never taken the drug,so any potential adverse effects are unknown.The nurse is implementing which step of the decision-making process?

A)Identify the purpose
B)Seek alternatives
C)Troubleshoot
D)Implement

Answer 3

Seek alternatives

Question 4

A new policy of restraining all four extremities of children under 2 years of age during therapy is introduced to a pediatric department.Which of the following actions by a nurse would characterize healthy skepticism?

A)Verbally attacking the new policy
B)Disregarding the new policy
C)Asking for rationale for the policy
D)Complying,but continuing to complain about it

Question 5

When told that bedtime is the preferred time for administering rectal suppositories to residents in a long-term care facility,a nurse continues to research whether there would be a better time,in the best interest of the residents.This nurse is practicing which of the critical-thinking attitudes?

A)Confidence
B)Perseverance
C)Curiosity
D)Integrity

Question 6

Which of the following is an example of how a new nursing graduate is demonstrating a critical thinking attitude?

A)Admits to not knowing how to do a procedure and requests help
B)Makes a point with clever and persuasive remarks to win an argument
C)Accepts without question the values acquired in nursing school
D)Finds a quick and easy answers,even to complex questions

Question 7

What is known about concept maps as a way to enhance critical thinking?

A)Concept maps can bridge nursing theory and practice.
B)They are most useful in organizing a small amount of information.
C)Information can only be linked together in a linear way on a concept map.
D)Only circular relationships can be depicted to explain phenomena.

Question 8

After speaking with his client,Mrs.Linthorne,61,a nursing student tells his instructor that he senses that she has something that she is afraid to talk about.What should the student do?

A)Chart that the client is afraid to talk about something
B)Ask his nursing instructor to advise him about validating this feeling
C)Trust his intuition and inform the head nurse or physician
D)Write on the care plan so that other nurses will try to get the data from Mrs.Linthorne

Question 9

Ms.Kleinburg,72,is admitted with severe malnutrition.The assigned student nurse notes that her breath smells of alcohol and her clothes are unkempt.How would the student nurse demonstrate contextual awareness?

A)Assuming that Ms.Kleinburg is not taking care of herself because she has given up on life
B)Considering the possibility that Ms.Kleinburg is a victim of family neglect
C)Suspecting that Ms.Kleinburg most likely has a drinking problem
D)Asking herself why she makes certain assumptions about Ms.Kleinburg whom she does not know

Question 10

A nurse who has recently relocated from a city to a sparsely populated rural area understands that certain familiar customs and practices may seem strange to the people in the new location.Which critical thinking attitude is the nurse demonstrating?

A)Fair-mindedness
B)Insight into egocentricity
C)Intellectual humility
D)Intellectual courage

Question 11

How can critical thinking best be described?

A)Examination of one's thinking processes
B)A problem-solving process
C)The practice of creativity
D)Differentiating facts from opinions

Question 12

What is the term used to describe when people are willing to consider and examine their own ideas or views,especially those to which they have a strong negative reaction?

A)Perseverance
B)Intellectual courage
C)Intellectual humility
D)Confidence

Question 13

In which step of the nursing process does the nurse make inferences about patterns of client data?

A)Assessing
B)Diagnosing
C)Planning
D)Implementing

Question 14

A nurse who tries a number of different methods to relieve a client's pain until one method is successful is using which problem-solving approach?

A)Trial-and-error
B)Intuition
C)Inductive
D)Deductive

Question 15

A nurse is taking an admission history from a client who is easily distracted and who offers a lot of irrelevant information about his social history.As the nurse sorts out the relevant data to determine the best nursing care for this client,which attribute of critical thinking is being utilized?

A)Reflection
B)Context
C)Dialogue
D)Time

Question 16

How is decision-making related to the nursing process?

A)They are not related; they are separate processes.
B)Decisions are required in each step of the nursing process.
C)The steps in both processes are the same,except for diagnosing.
D)Both processes require intuition.

Question 17

Mrs.Halliwell,76,is in rehabilitation following a stroke and does not like to do her prescribed shoulder exercises.Which of the following statements by the nurse demonstrates the critical-thinking component of creativity?

A)"Your recovery will be much slower if you refuse to do these exercises."
B)"As soon as you put these exercises into your routine,you will feel better."
C)"Your physician would not have ordered these unless they were important."
D)"Here is a marker to see how many circles you can draw on this board in 10 minutes."

Question 18

When checking in on a critically ill child,a nurse has a sense that "something isn't right." After an assessment confirms that the child is stable,the nurse continues to check all equipment in the room and discovers an incorrect IV solution infusing.This nurse is utilizing which method of problem solving?

A)Trial and error
B)Intuition
C)Judgment
D)Scientific method

Question 19

Ms.Okpiko,56,comes into the emergency department (ED)with a productive cough,audible coarse crackles,a temperature of 39.3°C,and chills.The nurse identifies the problem as respiratory compromise.The nurse is incorporating which of the following into her thinking?

A)Deductive reasoning
B)Inductive reasoning
C)Socratic questioning
D)Critical analysis

Question 20

A nurse educator who prefers using lectures notices the superior test results from a colleague's class where group work and in-class activities are the norm.The first educator is starting to rethink her teaching methods.This is an example of which of the following?

A)Intellectual integrity
B)Perseverance
C)Fair-mindedness
D)Humility

Question 21

A nurse is checking over the charting from the previous shift to see what has been effective,as well as what did not work for her assigned client.This nurse is utilizing which of the steps of the decision-making process?

A)Set the criteria
B)Examine alternatives
C)Test assumptions
D)Evaluate the action

Question 22

Attitudes,technical skills,theoretical knowledge,and interpersonal skills are all part of what model used in nursing practice?

A)Clinical Judgment Model
B)Alfaro‐LeFevre's Model
C)Socratic Model
D)Deductive Reasoning Model

Question 23

Understanding the nursing diagnosis of impaired skin integrity,a nurse examines the skin of a very thin,completely paralyzed client for redness and other signs of impending disruption or breakdown.What kind of reasoning is this nurse using?

A)Intuitive
B)Trial-and-error
C)Inductive
D)Deductive

Question 24

Mr.Westington,35,enters a clinic reporting "extreme" low back pain after helping to move a heavy object.He is pale and diaphoretic and walks bent at the waist.Before taking vital signs,the nurse projects that his blood pressure and heart rate will be elevated.This is an example of which of the following?

A)Fact
B)Inference
C)Judgment
D)Opinion

Question 25

What is the term used to depict thinking strategies that nurses use to make judgments or decisions and/or solve problems with clients?

A)Clinical reasoning
B)Critical thinking
C)Reflective practice
D)Clinical judgment

Question 26

At the beginning of an evening shift,parents of Keegan,11,are questioning a nurse about the large number of invasive tests ordered for their son.The nurse has not yet been able to review the chart or do an assessment.Which one of the following is the best response by the nurse?

A)"I am not sure if I can answer your questions just now."
B)"It is a good idea to listen carefully to what your physician wants."
C)"Keegan's doctor is the best there is.I think you should trust his judgment."
D)"Maybe you should get another opinion if you are not comfortable."

Question 27

What is known about evidence-informed nursing practice and evidence-based practice (EBP)?

A)EBP uses only quantitative research as its foundation for clinical decision-making.
B)Best Practice Guidelines are used to develop evidence-based practice.
C)EBP and evidence-informed nursing practice are the same thing.
D)Evidence-informed practice includes culture,beliefs,and policy.

Question 28

A female client on an acute care unit is from a culture not familiar to the nursing staff.One of the nurses becomes disturbed when the client's husband makes all the decisions about her care and treatments.The nurse's reaction is an example of which of the following?

A)Inference
B)Judgment
C)Opinion
D)Evaluation