CRITICAL THINKING - Coursework Example

How does one demonstrate the concept of critical thinking in relation to the various roles of the professional nurse? Nursing education and profession requires nurses to have critical thinking as an essential nursing skill (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2011). In essence, an individual is required to think like a nurse in order to become a professional nurse. The thinking of a nurse is distinct from that of a doctor and an engineer because of how they assess the patient and the type of problems they face and handle when betrothed in client care (Castledine, 2010).

Thinking like a nurse necessitates the learning of the contents of nursing, which are the ideas, theories and concepts of nursing and developing intellectual capacities and abilities in order to become self-directed, disciplined and critical thinkers (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2011).In nursing, critical thinking is the methodical, intellectual process of applying dexterous thinking as a guide to belief. It involves openness to question and reflection on the reasoning process employed to guarantee safe nursing practice and quality care.

Critical thinking among nurses involves proficiency in using reasoning, adherence to intellectual standards, commitment to develop and sustain intellectual qualities of the mind and practices of ideas and the proficient use of reasoning skills (Finkelman, 2012).Nursing practitioners who are critical thinkers appraise and adhere to intellectual standards. Notably, critical thinkers in nursing endeavour to be unclouded, precise, accurate, significant, fair and logically competent when listening and speaking to patients and when reading and writing (Castledine, 2010).

They think largely and deeply. In addition, critical thinkers in nursing develop their attitudes and dispositions to those of a fair-minded thinker. In this case, the nurses suspend their judgments till they truly apprehend another standpoint and phrase the position that another holds on a matter (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2011). Nurses come to coherent decisions so that they can act proficiently in practice. They continuously observe their reasoning, enquiring and replicating on the quality of reasoning.

ReferencesAmerican Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2011). The essentials of master’s education in nursing. Washington, DC: Author. Castledine, G. (2010). Castledine column. Critical thinking is crucial. British Journal of Nursing, 19(4), 271. Finkelman, A. (2012). Leadership and management in nursing (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.