Deck 11: Critical Thinking in Nursing Practice

Question 1

Which of the following frequently occurs in complex critical thinking?

A) The active seeking of new knowledge
B) Determination of the significance of a problem
C) Learning what is actually happening in a situation
D) Awareness that conflicting solutions to a problem exist

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Which of the following levels of critical thinking is an example of critical thinking at the complex level?

A) Following a procedure for catheterization step by step
B) Giving medication at the time ordered
C) Discussing alternative pain management techniques
D) Reviewing the patient's medical records thoroughly

Answer 2

C

Question 3

What is the second component of critical thinking in the "critical thinking model"?

A) Experience
B) Competencies
C) Specific knowledge
D) Diagnostic reasoning

Answer 3

A

Question 4

The nurse enters the room of a patient who has a history of heart disease.On looking at the patient,the nurse feels that something is "not right" with the patient,and proceeds to take the vital signs.What is this nurse acting on?

A) Intuition
B) Reflection
C) Knowledge
D) Scientific method

Question 5

The nurse is working with a patient who has recently had a colostomy.The patient is having difficulty using the supplies that are provided for the ostomy care.The nurse investigates the other types of available supplies and works with the patient to see which ones work best for him or her.This is an example of which type of critical thinking strategy?

A) Inference
B) Management
C) Problem solving
D) Diagnostic reasoning

Question 6

What is the primary factor that distinguishes a professional nurse's care from care provided by ancillary nursing staff?

A) Critical thinking
B) Years of education
C) Professional licensure
D) Complexity of the task

Question 7

Which of the following activities helps students to "see the other"?

A) Concept map
B) Nursing process
C) Journal writing
D) Resource allocation decisions

Question 8

What is the primary purpose of concept mapping?

A) To enable reflection on past experiences
B) To synthesize relevant data about a patient
C) To demonstrate artistic abilities with drawings
D) To act as a visual guideline for assisting students with rational thought

Question 9

Which of the following is a product of critical thinking that focuses on problem resolution?

A) Assessment
B) Decision making
C) Clinical inference
D) Diagnostic reasoning

Question 10

Which one of the following is an example of a nurse's statement that reflects using the scientific method in the nursing process?

A) "My instincts tell me that the patient is getting depressed."
B) "The patient doesn't look the same today. I think something is wrong."
C) "The patient's husband told me that the patient is feeling uncomfortable."
D) "The patient seems to be having more pain today than yesterday, and her blood pressure (BP) is elevated."

Question 11

The nurse decides to administer tablets of acetaminophen (Tylenol)instead of the ibuprofen she has been giving one of her orthopedic patients,in accordance with the prescriber's order.Which step of the nursing process does this address?

A) Assessment
B) Nursing diagnosis
C) Planning
D) Implementation

Question 12

The nurse has a multiple patient assignment on the surgical unit.When beginning the shift,the nurse needs to determine which postoperative patient should be seen first.Which one of the following patients should the nurse see first?

A) The patient is reported as having a BP of 90/50 mm Hg.
B) The patient received medication for pain ten minutes ago.
C) The patient needs to be out of bed and ambulating.
D) The patient requires instructions for wound care.

Question 13

Which of the following denotes a principle for rational thought?

A) Code of ethics
B) Intellectual standards
C) Nursing judgements
D) Complex critical thinking

Question 14

Which of the following nursing interventions is the best example of the implementation part of the nursing process?

A) Determining that the patient's ankle edema is worse after he ambulates
B) Asking the patient to rate his ankle pain after receiving oral pain medication
C) Arranging for the patient to receive pain medication
D) Crushing the patient's pain medication to facilitate easier swallowing and thus minimize choking

Question 15

Which of the following best reflects the philosophy of critical thinking as taught by a nurse teacher to a nursing student?

A) "Don't draw subjective inferences about your patient; be more objective."
B) "Please think harder; I am looking for a single solution."
C) "Trust your feelings; don't be concerned about trying to find a rationale to support your decision."
D) "Think about what is important in the situation, and make informed decisions about the patient's concerns."