Critical Thinking in the Practice of the Registered Nurse - Term Paper Example

Critical Thinking in the Practice of the Registered Nurse/Midwife Introduction Critical thinking is an imperative aspect which should be employed before doing anything. It involves determining the meaning and the importance of what is examined or expressed before taking any further decision. It is important because when well used one can always end up making wise decisions or those that are likely to end up with little or no negative impact at all. It provides due considerations to the confirmation, the perspective of conclusion, the applicable standard for making the conclusion and the methods of doing it, and the theoretical constructs for the understanding of the issue and question at hand. It is always reflected when one figures out what to do or consider and do it in a rational or insightful way (Raynor, Marshall & Sullivan, 2005). How critical thinking enhances professional practices of registered nurses and midwifes There is a great need for the nurses and midwifes to employ critical thinking before undertaking their activities in order to use the appropriate knowledge and skilled judgments in delivering patients care. The medical practitioners describe critical thinking as the attitudes of investigation that entails ability to identify an existing problem and an approval of the overall need of facts to support the existing evidences which are assumed to be true. This means that the nurses and midwifes do not just assume things but are keen on the reasons behind their existence. For example, if a patient reports a certain problems these health practitioners look for the reasons behind the problem. This is because they should not only treat a problem but also come up with the ways of preventing it (Haber & Elliot et al, 2007). Midwifery is a sensitive area requiring one to have all the information concerning the field because the expectant mothers will keep on consulting them on how to behave and also it entails dealing with two lives at ago. The health condition of the baby is determined by the stability of the foundation, that is it should be health at the time of birth so as to have a normal growth. So many babies and mothers die during the process of birth and unless midwifes are careful more and more will die. Midwifes should keenly check on the conditions of the baby and employ critically thinking to determine the best birth process to use (Pandey, 2007). The professionals also associates critical thinking with the understanding of nature of applicable assumptions, concepts and generalizations through which the weight or precision of diverse facts are rationally determined. That is the practitioners should always have it in mind that they are dealing with the real lives of human beings and any decision they put into consideration should be a fact. They do not try their luck but do real research on things which nature assumes to be the way they are. For example, nature can identify a certain group of people to be short or have a stunted growth but the health practitioners should research on the causes of the stunted growth and what can be done to prevent it (Jones & Smith, 2007). A nurse or a midwife who employ critical thinking in their area of practice develops confidence and creativity. He or she should be self assured so as not to develop tension when handling some complicated cases or unfamiliar problems. Nurses and midwives should be creative; they should not always rely on the school based skills but should come up with ways handling problems especially the emergency ones which require urgent attention (Quinn, 2000). However they should critically think of the possible outcome of the condition after they apply their new knowledge. For example, if a midwife thinks of a new delivery process if the condition is too complicated to be successful through the usual ways, he or she should first think of what is likely to happen to the mother and the new born. If the process is likely to cause a serious negative result like death of one of them then the midwife should look into another option (Basavan, 2002). Many conditions arise which do not respond to the nurses’ prescriptions positively. The nurse should be keen on the respond of the illness to the medication done and think of another option incase the respond is negative. This is because the patient cannot be left in pain awaiting the report of the scientific researchers but should be given the desired treatment. This also brings in the issue of being open-minded, nurses and midwifes should think wide concerning the issue at hand and that which is expected to come (Taylor, 2000). This generally entails considering the two possible outcomes, for example, when a midwife helps in the process of child delivery he or she should not be biased on the positive result only but should to some percentage think of the negative side. This helps in the psychological preparations and creates a room of thinking of the possible action to take incase of a negative outcome. It can help in saving life because the professional concern will not waste time strategizing the action to take. (Watson & Glaser, 2001). Australian nursing and midwifery practices are known to be using the ideas concern about reflective practice since memorial; however a clear process for reflection when changes in strategies and measures are needed based on the facts produced from thorough research and critical thinking processes is not reflected in that history. These health practitioners should modify and evaluate their work measures through combining the major ideas in the nursing process, critical thinking and reflection. This will enable them to be flexible to the necessary adjustment of the techniques in their field of specialization and hence can easily achieve their set objectives (Tilley& Watson, 2004). A nurse or a midwife who is a critical thinker is consistently curious, up dated, trustful in reasoning. He or she is keen on inventing new ways of doing things by coming up with new ways, researching on them and confidently applying them in the field of specialization. Being fairly- minded in evaluation is also necessary for a nurse or a midwife who is critically thinking. This is because there is no room for mistakes as some of these mistakes can cause serious mistakes compared to the original problems. For example, if a nurse injects the patient with the wrong medicine can result to a more complicated situation which can take too long to rectify or may be a life problem. The nurse and the midwives should be careful in their job so as not to destroy the health of the patient instead of improving it (Crisp & Taylor, 2008). Critical thinking enables a nurse or a midwife to be honest when facing private biases as well as being careful when making judgments. This is because patient reports to them only the identified signs or symptoms of the diseases but look upon the health officers like the nurse to make a conclusion of the disease they are likely to be suffering from. The patient beliefs much on what they are told by the health practitioners hence if the officers are not honest while making concussions are likely to mislead the patient and other health officers who treat the patient depending on the health history (Gates, 2006). A nurse or a midwife who thinks critically is always attentive in seeking applicable information and alert in inquiry. This enables him or her to have full information or facts to support his or her judgment of the disease and hence prescribe the necessary medication. They are also able to reasonable when selecting the best criteria to follow when offering their services. This is because nurses and midwifes handles human lives and which requires the best qualities possible and under all circumstances human beings should always be accounted their rights which include the right to be fairly treated. (Facione & Giancarlo, 2004). Although most of the philosophers think that critical thinking cannot be developed by itself others belief that it is viewed together with the context of self discipline or doing the best to achieve that which one is called for (Blatz, 2000). Conclusion Critical thinking entails being conscious on whatever activity one is undertaking. This is best done when one thinks widely about something before engaging himself or herself in it; it is best achieved by thinking on the possible positive and negative effects of the activity. This helps to strategies in advance the possible actions to be taken to respond to the outcome of the activity hence one is not caught unawares. The field of medicine is the most sensitive and which calls for more attention in the critical thinking, this is because there is no room for making mistakes and rectifying them. The nurses and the other professionals like the midwives should be careful when handling the patients so as to be perfect in their work They should always be willing to learn more and think widely so as to discover new ways of encountering the issues reported by the patients. This is particularly applied in cases whereby cases are reported which did not exist during their training period hence they were not informed of the possible medications to prescribe (Bullman & Schutz, 2004). Reference Basavan, T. (2002). Textbook of midwifery and reproductive health nursing. New York: Jay pee Brothers Publishers. Blatz, C. (2000). Contextualism and critical thinking: Programmatic investigations. Educational theory. 39(2), 107-119. Bullman, C. & Schutz, S. (2004). Reflective Practice in nursing. New York: Wiley- Blackwell Publishers. Crisp, J & Taylor, C. (2008). Potter and Perry’s Fundamentals of Nursing. Sydney: Elsevier Publishers. Facione, N& Giancarlo, M. (2004). Critical thinking disposition as a measure of competent clinical judgment: The development of the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory. Journal of Nursing Education, 33(8), 345-350. Gates, B. (2006). Care planning and delivery in intellectual disability nursing. New York: Wiley-Blackwell Publishers. Haber, J. & Elliot, D. et al (2007). Nursing and Midwifery research: methods and best practice. Sydney: Elsevier Publishers. Jones, S & Smith, D. (2007). Critical Thinking in Health and Social Care. New York: SAGE publishers. Pandey, R. (2007). Nursing and Midwifery Education. New York: Mittal Publications. Quinn, F. (2000). The principles and practice of nurse education. UK: Nelson Thornes Publishers. Raynor, M, Marshall, E & Sullivan, A. (2005). Decision making in midwifery practice. Sydney: Elsevier Publishers Taylor, B. (2000). Reflective practice: a guide for nurses and midwives. UK: Allen& Unwin Publishers. Tilley, S& Watson, R. (2004). Accountability in nursing and midwifery. New York: Wiley- Blackwell Publishers. Watson, G& Glaser, E. (2001). Watson-Glaser critical thinking appraisal manual. San Antonio: The Psychological Corporation: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc. Read More