A nurse studying critical thinking theories can generalize the process as:
A) a reflective process of gathering and evaluating data to choose a course of action.
B) one conceptual mechanism for critiquing ideas and establishing goal-oriented care.
C) researching best-practice literature to create care pathways for certain populations.
D) using the nursing process to design individualized and specific nursing care plans.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Looking across theories and definitions of critical thinking, they all have in common the ability to reflect on data and choose actions.Reflection also considers evaluating the result of the actions to determine whether they were effective.Although critiquing ideas and establishing goal-oriented care could be considered as part of a generalized statement of critical thinking, this is not broad enough without the reflection and evaluation.Critical thinking would most likely be used to create care paths derived from best-care literature, but this is not a generalized statement covering all definitions and theories of critical thinking.Critical thinking is used when engaging in the nursing process, but this is too narrow in focus to capture the essence of critical thinking definitions and theories.Critical thinking is not synonymous with the nursing process.

A Nurse Studying Critical Thinking Theories Can Generalize the Process