Critical Thinking, The Key To Success In Nursing
Given that nursing deals with human health, and more importantly human life, it is no wonder that this line of work has begun to feel the burden of its responsibilities. Nurses need to be caring and skilled but they also need to be clear headed and detail oriented. The quality of their patients’ treatment as well as the progress of their health fully depend on her ability to accurately evaluate their condition. A most important aspect of health-care work is the proficiency of the nurse when it comes to critical thinking.
Why is “critical thinking” a major part of good nursing?
At first glance it might seem a little strange that nursing is so intricately connected to the process known as “critical thinking”. Any nurse worth her salt will have an extensive education and conventional training to rely upon in her work. However, all her training may come to nothing if she is unable to quickly assess, analyze and find solutions to any situations.
The health, and more importantly, the life of her patients depend on her ability to understand and process concepts in a most effective manner. Nurses provide hands-on care plus being held responsible for everything that they do, see and report. When a patient reaches the emergency room, it is the nurse’s responsibility to see to the quality and speed at which that patient receives treatment. Patients as well as their families depend on the nurse’s abilities and expertise for treatment and reassurance.
Responsibly specific to nurses:
A nurse has to document everything on the patient’s state of health while under her care. Every single detail is of the utmost importance and by recording it, nurses are able to help physicians form a clear picture of the case and give a firm opinion as well as better and more informed treatment directions. Not only are nurses required to be proficient at supervising hospital activity and patient treatment, they also need to be able to handle communication, whether with patients, doctors or other co-workers. In the emergency room, for instance, both communication and organization skills play a huge part of the overall care of the patient.
What makes critical thinking the nurse’s cornerstone?
To achieve a high level of communication and organization the staff nurse must quickly perform an accurate evaluation of the patient’s condition as well as assess any changes as they occur in the patient. Today’s staff nurse must possess a long list of abilities and skills as well as knowledge, to be able to successfully cope in her line of work. Among these are: rapid evaluation, accuracy, communication, organizing, prioritizing, recording and reporting, etc. At the base of all this is the process known as critical thinking.
Staff nurses, floor nurses, assisting nurses, they all have huge responsibilities. They have to skillfully organize and document all their duties and make precise and honest assessments of their own work. Critical thinking as well as the ability to master language and concepts make the starting point in a successful nursing career. At one point or other in our lives we all had to rely on the analytical skills and knowledge of a nurse. And those who haven’t probably will. Therefore, we cannot help but be grateful to the wonderful nurses performing such a demanding, yet meaningful work.
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