Lesson: 7 Elements of Critical Thinking

Introduction to NCLEX

CRITICAL THINKING

ORDERED RESPONSE/DRAG AND DROP

The NCLEX exam is set up to test your critical thinking abilities.

Critical thinking is a practice of conclusion-seeking by transferring previously accumulated knowledge more completely and effectively. You will improve in your approach to assessing a problem and solving it with solid rationales. It will become normal for you to analyze, interpret, assess and re-word the question for an increased understanding.

True critical thinking is directed by you, monitored by you, disciplined by you and corrected by you.

THINK

A helpful technique for application of critical thinking:

Take time to think
Help your chances by using strategy tools
Integrate all gathered data
Notice your patient's surroundings
Keep calm and focused

7 ELEMENTS OF CRITICAL THINKING

An NCLEX question presents a problem, a situation, or a concern.
Ask yourself, “What do they want to know?”
Then ask, “What outcome am I trying to achieve?”

Determine the intended result of the goal you are seeking to accomplish.

What will be the result of your intervention, task, or education?

Be specific about the goal you want to obtain and make sure you are realistic in your expectations of achieving a desired outcome.

Gather data, evidence, details and subjective information to help you decide what is relevant to your patient's current situation.

Then apply your textbook knowledge to real world application.

Do not add information to the question by reading more information into it than is stated.

Interpret only the facts you have been given.

Make sure you are basing your decision on sound rationale.

What principles, ideas and concepts are you using to reason through the question?

Identify the problem and try using different words to explain your answer to yourself. Did this change your line of thinking?

Be aware of your own influences, assumptions and belief systems. These may interfere with your decision-making process.

Take into consideration whether other solutions make more sense.

Now that you have the facts, can you reach the best possible outcome for your patient?

A good way to analyze whether you are on the right track is to make sure your decision is logical.

What are the implications of the option you chose?

What would happen if you implemented this action or intervention?