Critical Thinking in Nursing Practice Questions
1. 1. Which of the following best reflects the philosophy of critical thinking
as taught by a nurse educator to a nursing student?
1. "Think about several interventions that you could use with this client."
2."Don't draw subjective inferences about your client—be more objective."
3."Please think harder—there is a single solution for which I am looking."
4."Trust your feelings—don't be concerned about trying to find a rationale to
support your decision.": 1
The nurse educator is asking the student to synthesize critical thinking skills by
encouraging the student to examine alternatives to meet the client's unique needs
within the context of the nursing process. Drawing inferences is a specific critical
thinking competency used in diagnostic reasoning. The educator who tells the
student not to draw inferences is not allowing the student to practice
competencies necessary for specific critical thinking in clinical situations. The
critical thinker will look beyond a single solution to a problem. Intuition develops as
one's clinical experience increases. The nursing student should examine
2. The second component of critical thinking in the "critical thinking model"
is:
1. Experience
2. Competencies
3. Specific knowledge
4. Diagnostic reasoning: 1
Experience is the second component of critical thinking in the "critical thinking
model." The third component of the "critical thinking model" is competencies.
Specific knowledge base is the first component of the "critical thinking model."
Diagnostic reasoning is a specific critical thinking competency in clinical situations.
, Critical Thinking in Nursing Practice Questions
3. The nurse enters the room of a client who has a history of heart disease.
On looking at the client, the nurse feels that something is "not right" with
the client and proceeds to take the vital signs. This is the nurse acting on:
1. Intuition
2. Reflection
3. Knowledge
4. Scientific methodology: 1
Intuition is an inner sensing that something is so, as in this example. Reflection is
the process of purposefully thinking back or recalling a situation to discover its
purpose or meaning. Knowledge of the nurse includes information and theory from
the basic sciences, humanities, behavioral sciences, and nursing. Scientific
methodology is an approach to seeking the truth or verifying that a set of facts
agrees with reality.
4. The nurse manager has developed a staff protocol for peer evaluation.
The nurses on her surgical unit are nervous about using her instrument. If
the nurse manager continues to implement the new strategy, which of the
following critical thinking attitudes is she portraying?
1.Humility
2.Risk-taking
3.Accountability
4.Independent thinking: 2
This is an example of the critical thinking attitude of risk-taking. A critical thinker is
willing to take risks in trying different approaches to solving problems. Humility is a
critical thinking attitude in which a person admits what they do not know and tries
to acquire the knowledge needed to make proper decisions. To be accountable
means to be answerable for the outcomes of your actions. To think independently,
, Critical Thinking in Nursing Practice Questions
one questions others' ways of interpreting knowledge and looks for rational and
logical answers to problems.
5. The nurse is working with a client who has recently had a colostomy and
is having difficulty using the provided supplies. The nurse works with the
client to see which alternative supplies are easier for the client to use. This
is an example of the critical thinking strategy of:
1.Inference
2.Management
3.Problem-solving
4.Diagnostic reasoning: 3
This is an example of the critical thinking strategy of problem-solving. The nurse
gathers information from the client and combines that information with what the
nurse already knows about ostomy care to find a solution. Effective problem-
solving involves the examination of alternatives. Inference is the process of
drawing conclusions. Management is not a critical thinking strategy. Diagnostic
reasoning is a process of determining a client's health status after the nurse
assigns meaning to the behaviors, physical signs, and symptoms presented by the
client.
6. Which of the following is an example of a nurse's statement that reflects
using the scientific method in the nursing process?
1."I believe that this client is getting depressed."
2."The client doesn't look right to me; I think something is wrong."
3."The client's husband told me that she is feeling very uncomfortable."
4."The client reports more pain than yesterday and her blood pressure is
elevated.": 4
Reporting more pain than yesterday and elevated blood pressure reflects using
the scientific method in the nursing process. The nurse identified a problem of
1. 1. Which of the following best reflects the philosophy of critical thinking
as taught by a nurse educator to a nursing student?
1. "Think about several interventions that you could use with this client."
2."Don't draw subjective inferences about your client—be more objective."
3."Please think harder—there is a single solution for which I am looking."
4."Trust your feelings—don't be concerned about trying to find a rationale to
support your decision.": 1
The nurse educator is asking the student to synthesize critical thinking skills by
encouraging the student to examine alternatives to meet the client's unique needs
within the context of the nursing process. Drawing inferences is a specific critical
thinking competency used in diagnostic reasoning. The educator who tells the
student not to draw inferences is not allowing the student to practice
competencies necessary for specific critical thinking in clinical situations. The
critical thinker will look beyond a single solution to a problem. Intuition develops as
one's clinical experience increases. The nursing student should examine
2. The second component of critical thinking in the "critical thinking model"
is:
1. Experience
2. Competencies
3. Specific knowledge
4. Diagnostic reasoning: 1
Experience is the second component of critical thinking in the "critical thinking
model." The third component of the "critical thinking model" is competencies.
Specific knowledge base is the first component of the "critical thinking model."
Diagnostic reasoning is a specific critical thinking competency in clinical situations.
, Critical Thinking in Nursing Practice Questions
3. The nurse enters the room of a client who has a history of heart disease.
On looking at the client, the nurse feels that something is "not right" with
the client and proceeds to take the vital signs. This is the nurse acting on:
1. Intuition
2. Reflection
3. Knowledge
4. Scientific methodology: 1
Intuition is an inner sensing that something is so, as in this example. Reflection is
the process of purposefully thinking back or recalling a situation to discover its
purpose or meaning. Knowledge of the nurse includes information and theory from
the basic sciences, humanities, behavioral sciences, and nursing. Scientific
methodology is an approach to seeking the truth or verifying that a set of facts
agrees with reality.
4. The nurse manager has developed a staff protocol for peer evaluation.
The nurses on her surgical unit are nervous about using her instrument. If
the nurse manager continues to implement the new strategy, which of the
following critical thinking attitudes is she portraying?
1.Humility
2.Risk-taking
3.Accountability
4.Independent thinking: 2
This is an example of the critical thinking attitude of risk-taking. A critical thinker is
willing to take risks in trying different approaches to solving problems. Humility is a
critical thinking attitude in which a person admits what they do not know and tries
to acquire the knowledge needed to make proper decisions. To be accountable
means to be answerable for the outcomes of your actions. To think independently,
, Critical Thinking in Nursing Practice Questions
one questions others' ways of interpreting knowledge and looks for rational and
logical answers to problems.
5. The nurse is working with a client who has recently had a colostomy and
is having difficulty using the provided supplies. The nurse works with the
client to see which alternative supplies are easier for the client to use. This
is an example of the critical thinking strategy of:
1.Inference
2.Management
3.Problem-solving
4.Diagnostic reasoning: 3
This is an example of the critical thinking strategy of problem-solving. The nurse
gathers information from the client and combines that information with what the
nurse already knows about ostomy care to find a solution. Effective problem-
solving involves the examination of alternatives. Inference is the process of
drawing conclusions. Management is not a critical thinking strategy. Diagnostic
reasoning is a process of determining a client's health status after the nurse
assigns meaning to the behaviors, physical signs, and symptoms presented by the
client.
6. Which of the following is an example of a nurse's statement that reflects
using the scientific method in the nursing process?
1."I believe that this client is getting depressed."
2."The client doesn't look right to me; I think something is wrong."
3."The client's husband told me that she is feeling very uncomfortable."
4."The client reports more pain than yesterday and her blood pressure is
elevated.": 4
Reporting more pain than yesterday and elevated blood pressure reflects using
the scientific method in the nursing process. The nurse identified a problem of
