Deck 15: Critical Thinking in Nursing Practice

Question 1

A patient is having trouble reaching the water fountain while holding on to crutches.The nurse suggests that the patient place the crutches against the wall while stabilizing himself with two hands on the water fountain.Which critical thinking attitude is utilized in this situation?

A) Humility
B) Confidence
C) Risk taking
D) Creativity

Answer 1

Creativity

Question 2

While caring for a hospitalized older adult female post hip surgery,the new graduate nurse is faced with the task of inserting an indwelling urinary catheter,which involves rotating the hip into a contraindicated position.The nurse exhibits critical thinking to perform this task by

A) Following textbook procedure.
B) Notifying the physician of the need for a urologist consult.
C) Adapting the positioning technique to the situation.
D) Postponing catheter insertion until the next shift.

Answer 2

Adapting the positioning technique to the situation.

Question 3

The critical thinking skill of evaluation in nursing practice can be best described as

A) Examining the meaning of data.
B) Reviewing the effectiveness of nursing actions.
C) Supporting findings and conclusions.
D) Searching for links between data and the nurse's assumptions.

Answer 3

Reviewing the effectiveness of nursing actions.

Question 4

A new graduate nurse will make the best clinical decisions by applying the components of the nursing critical thinking model and which of the following?

A) Drawing on past clinical experiences to formulate standardized care plans
B) Relying on recall of information from past lectures and textbooks
C) Depending on the charge nurse to determine priorities of care
D) Using the nursing process

Question 5

Which of these patient scenarios is most indicative of critical thinking?

A) Administering pain relief medication according to what was given last shift
B) Asking a patient what pain relief methods, pharmacological and nonpharmacological, have worked in the past
C) Offering pain relief medication based on physician orders
D) Explaining to the patient that his reports of severe pain are not consistent with the minor procedure that was performed

Question 6

A nurse who is caring for a patient with a pressure ulcer fails to apply the recommended dressing according to hospital policy.If the patient is harmed,the nurse could be subject to legal action for not adhering to

A) Fairness.
B) Intellectual standards.
C) Independent reasoning.
D) Institutional practice guidelines.

Question 7

Critical thinking characteristics include

A) Considering what is important in a given situation.
B) Accepting one, established way to provide patient care.
C) Making decisions based on intuition.
D) Being able to read and follow physician's orders.

Question 8

The nurse needs a reminder of professional responsibility when performing which of these actions?

A) Making an informed clinical decision
B) Making an ethical clinical decision
C) Making a clinical decision in the patient's best interest
D) Making a clinical decision based on previous shift assessments

Question 9

Professional nurses are responsible for making clinical decisions to

A) Prove traditional methods of providing nursing care to patients.
B) Take immediate action when a patient's condition worsens.
C) Apply clear textbook solutions to patients' problems.
D) Formulate standardized care plans for groups of patients.

Question 10

Which of these findings,if identified in a plan of care,should the registered nurse revise because it is not characteristic of critical thinking and the nursing process?

A) Patient's reactions to diagnostic testing
B) Nurse's assumptions about hospital discharge
C) Identification of five different nursing diagnoses
D) Documentation of patient's ability to cope with loss

Question 11

A new nurse is pulled from the surgical unit to work on the oncology unit.The nurse displays the critical thinking attitudes of humility and responsibility by

A) Refusing the assignment.
B) Asking for an orientation to the unit.
C) Assuming that patient care will be the same as on the other units.
D) Admitting lack of knowledge and going home.

Question 12

What is the first component of the critical thinking model for clinical decision making?

A) Experience
B) Nursing process
C) Attitude
D) A scientific knowledge base

Question 13

A patient continues to report postsurgical incision pain at a level of 9 out of 10 after pain medicine is given.The next dose of pain medicine is not due for another hour.What should the critically thinking nurse do first?

A) Explain to the patient that nothing else has been ordered.
B) Explore other options for pain relief.
C) Offer to notify the health care provider after morning rounds are completed.
D) Discuss the surgical procedure and reason for the pain.

Question 14

Professional standards influence a nurse's clinical decisions by

A) Bypassing the patient's feelings to promote ethical standards.
B) Establishing minimal passing standards for testing.
C) Requiring the nurse to use critical thinking for the highest level of quality nursing care.
D) Utilizing evidence-based practice based on nurses' needs.

Question 15

A nursing instructor needs to evaluate students' abilities to synthesize data and identify relationships between nursing diagnoses.Which learning assignment is best suited for this instructor's needs?

A) Concept mapping
B) Reflective journaling
C) Reading assignment with a written summary
D) Lecture and discussion

Question 16

The nursing process involves which of the following steps in the clinical decision-making process?

A) Identifying patient needs
B) Diagnosing the disease process
C) Determining priorities of care
D) Setting goals
E) Performing nursing interventions
F) Evaluating effectiveness of medical treatments

Question 17

The nurse enters a room to find the patient sitting up in bed crying.How would the nurse display a critical thinking attitude in this situation?

A) Tell the patient she'll be back in 30 minutes.
B) Set a box of tissues at the patient's bedside before leaving the room.
C) Ask the patient why she is crying.
D) Limit visitors while the patient is upset.

Question 18

The nursing student can best develop critical thinking skills by doing which of the following?

A) Studying 3 hours more each night
B) Actively participating in all clinical experiences
C) Interviewing staff nurses about their nursing experiences
D) Attending all open skills lab opportunities

Question 19

The patient appears to be in no apparent distress,but vital signs taken by assistive personnel reveal an extremely low pulse.The nurse then auscultates an apical pulse and asks the patient whether he has any complaints or a history of heart problems.The nurse is utilizing which critical thinking skill?

A) Interpretation
B) Evaluation
C) Self-regulation
D) Explanation

Question 20

Which of the following demonstrates a nurse utilizing self-reflection to improve clinical decision making?

A) Uses an objective approach in all situations
B) Obtains data in an orderly fashion
C) Improves a plan of care while thinking back on interventions performed
D) Provides evidence-based explanations for all nursing interventions