For health care professionals like you and me, critical thinking is a "MUST HAVE" skill. Being able to think critically is just as important as knowing how to measure someone's vital signs or document client care. How are your critical thinking skills?

You are thinking critically when you:

• Look for things that may be clouding your judgment.
• Explore ideas that might bring a new solution to an old problem.
• Take responsibility for what you say and do instead of just blindly following other people.
• Expose yourself to new information and keep an open mind about what you learn.
• Recognize that there is usually more than one way of looking at things...and that things are NOT always what they seem.
• Figure out what you really believe—instead of letting others tell you what to believe.
• Are more concerned with finding the best solution rather than just being “right”.
• Avoid making snap judgments.

People who are critical thinkers tend to:

• Listen carefully. They don’t automatically believe everything they hear or read.
• Ask questions and spend time analyzing information.
• Look for ways to prove information rather than just believing it to be true.
• Remain open to new ideas and are able to look at things in a new way.
• Avoid shooting down ideas just because they didn’t think of them.
• Discover better ways to deal with their problems—instead of avoiding them.
• Learn how to react to problems logically instead of emotionally.
• Protect themselves from being manipulated because they think for themselves.
• Catch their own mistakes by thinking about what they are doing.
• Perform their duties at work without needing to be told what to do every step of the way.

What’s the bottom line? When you think critically, you are taking charge of your own mind!

For more on this important topic, take a look at our Critical Thinking Skills inservice. It's full of practical suggestions for how nursing assistants and home health aides can practice their critical thinking skills.

Happy Learning,

Linda

Linda Leekley BS, RN