Question 1

Which findings will alert the nurse that stress is present when making a clinical decision? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

A)  Tense muscles 
B)  Reactive responses 
C)  Trouble concentrating 
D)  Very tired feelings 
E)  Managed emotions 
A)  Tense muscles 
B)  Reactive responses 
C)  Trouble concentrating 
D)  Very tired feelings 
E)  Managed emotions A, B, C, D

Question 2

A nurse is using a critical thinking model to provide care. Which component is first that helps a nurse make clinical decisions?

Accepted Answer

A)  Attitude 
B)  Experience 
C)  Nursing process 
D)  Specific knowledge base 
A)  Attitude 
B)  Experience 
C)  Nursing process 
D)  Specific knowledge base D

Question 3

A patient is having trouble reaching the water fountain while holding on to crutches. The nurse suggests that the patient place the crutches against the wall while stabilizing him or herself with two hands on the water fountain. Which critical thinking attitude did the nurse use in this situation?

Accepted Answer

A)  Humility 
B)  Creativity 
C)  Risk taking 
D)  Confidence 
A)  Humility 
B)  Creativity 
C)  Risk taking 
D)  Confidence B

Question 4

Which action should the nurse take when using critical thinking to make clinical decisions?

Accepted Answer

A)  Make decisions based on intuition. 
B)  Accept one established way to provide care. 
C)  Consider what is important in a given situation. 
D)  Read and follow the heath care provider's orders. 
A)  Make decisions based on intuition. 
B)  Accept one established way to provide care. 
C)  Consider what is important in a given situation. 
D)  Read and follow the heath care provider's orders.

Question 5

A nurse is reviewing care plans. Which finding, if identified in a plan of care, should the registered nurse revise?

Accepted Answer

A)  Patient's outcomes for learning 
B)  Nurse's assumptions about hospital discharge 
C)  Identification of several actual health problems 
D)  Documentation of patient's ability to meet the goal 
A)  Patient's outcomes for learning 
B)  Nurse's assumptions about hospital discharge 
C)  Identification of several actual health problems 
D)  Documentation of patient's ability to meet the goal

Question 6

Which action by a nurse indicates application of the critical thinking model to make the best clinical decisions?

Accepted Answer

A)  Drawing on past clinical experiences to formulate standardized care plans 
B)  Relying on recall of information from past lectures and textbooks 
C)  Depending on the charge nurse to determine priorities of care 
D)  Using the nursing process 
A)  Drawing on past clinical experiences to formulate standardized care plans 
B)  Relying on recall of information from past lectures and textbooks 
C)  Depending on the charge nurse to determine priorities of care 
D)  Using the nursing process

Question 7

Which action demonstrates a nurse utilizing reflection to improve clinical decision making?

Accepted Answer

A)  Obtains data in an orderly fashion 
B)  Uses an objective approach in patient situations 
C)  Improves a plan of care while thinking back on interventions effectiveness 
D)  Provides evidence-based explanations and research for care of assigned patients 
A)  Obtains data in an orderly fashion 
B)  Uses an objective approach in patient situations 
C)  Improves a plan of care while thinking back on interventions effectiveness 
D)  Provides evidence-based explanations and research for care of assigned patients

Question 8

A nurse is using professional standards to influence clinical decisions. What is the rationale for the nurse's actions?

Accepted Answer

A)  Establishes minimal passing standards for testing 
B)  Utilizes evidence-based practice based on nurses' needs 
C)  Bypasses the patient's feelings to promote ethical standards 
D)  Uses critical thinking for the highest level of quality nursing care 
A)  Establishes minimal passing standards for testing 
B)  Utilizes evidence-based practice based on nurses' needs 
C)  Bypasses the patient's feelings to promote ethical standards 
D)  Uses critical thinking for the highest level of quality nursing care

Question 9

A nurse who is caring for a patient with a pressure ulcer applies the recommended dressing according to hospital policy. Which standard is the nurse following?

Accepted Answer

A)  Fairness 
B)  Intellectual standards 
C)  Independent reasoning 
D)  Institutional practice guidelines 
A)  Fairness 
B)  Intellectual standards 
C)  Independent reasoning 
D)  Institutional practice guidelines

Question 10

Which action indicates a registered nurse is being responsible for making clinical decisions?

Accepted Answer

A)  Applies clear textbook solutions to patients' problems 
B)  Takes immediate action when a patient's condition worsens 
C)  Uses only traditional methods of providing care to patients 
D)  Formulates standardized care plans solely for groups of patients 
A)  Applies clear textbook solutions to patients' problems 
B)  Takes immediate action when a patient's condition worsens 
C)  Uses only traditional methods of providing care to patients 
D)  Formulates standardized care plans solely for groups of patients

Question 11

A patient continues to report postsurgical incision pain at a level of 9 out of 10 after pain medicine is given. The next dose of pain medicine is not due for another hour. What should the critically thinking nurse do $\bold{first}$?

Accepted Answer

A)  Explore other options for pain relief. 
B)  Discuss the surgical procedure and reason for the pain. 
C)  Explain to the patient that nothing else has been ordered. 
D)  Offer to notify the health care provider after morning rounds are completed. 
A)  Explore other options for pain relief. 
B)  Discuss the surgical procedure and reason for the pain. 
C)  Explain to the patient that nothing else has been ordered. 
D)  Offer to notify the health care provider after morning rounds are completed.

Question 12

A nurse is using the critical thinking skill of evaluation. Which action will the nurse take?

Accepted Answer

A)  Examine the meaning of data. 
B)  Support findings and conclusions. 
C)  Review the effectiveness of nursing actions. 
D)  Search for links between the data and the nurse's assumptions. 
A)  Examine the meaning of data. 
B)  Support findings and conclusions. 
C)  Review the effectiveness of nursing actions. 
D)  Search for links between the data and the nurse's assumptions.

Question 13

A charge nurse is supervising the care of a new nurse. Which action by a new nurse indicates the charge nurse needs to intervene?

Accepted Answer

A)  Making an ethical clinical decision 
B)  Making an informed clinical decision 
C)  Making a clinical decision in the patient's best interest 
D)  Making a clinical decision based on previous shift assessments 
A)  Making an ethical clinical decision 
B)  Making an informed clinical decision 
C)  Making a clinical decision in the patient's best interest 
D)  Making a clinical decision based on previous shift assessments

Question 14

Which action should the nurse take to best develop critical thinking skills?

Accepted Answer

A)  Study 3 hours more each night. 
B)  Attend all inservice opportunities. 
C)  Actively participate in clinical experiences. 
D)  Interview staff nurses about their nursing experiences. 
A)  Study 3 hours more each night. 
B)  Attend all inservice opportunities. 
C)  Actively participate in clinical experiences. 
D)  Interview staff nurses about their nursing experiences.

Question 15

The patient appears to be in no apparent distress, but vital signs taken by assistive personnel reveal an extremely low pulse. The nurse then auscultates an apical pulse and asks the patient whether there is any history of heart problems. The nurse is utilizing which critical thinking skill?

Accepted Answer

A)  Evaluation 
B)  Explanation 
C)  Interpretation 
D)  Self-regulation 
A)  Evaluation 
B)  Explanation 
C)  Interpretation 
D)  Self-regulation

Question 16

The nurse enters a room to find the patient sitting up in bed crying. How will the nurse display a critical thinking attitude in this situation?

Accepted Answer

A)  Provide privacy and check on the patient 30 minutes later. 
B)  Set a box of tissues at the patient's bedside before leaving the room. 
C)  Limit visitors while the patient is upset. 
D)  Ask the patient about the crying. 
A)  Provide privacy and check on the patient 30 minutes later. 
B)  Set a box of tissues at the patient's bedside before leaving the room. 
C)  Limit visitors while the patient is upset. 
D)  Ask the patient about the crying.

Question 17

A nurse is pulled from the surgical unit to work on the oncology unit. Which action by the nurse displays humility and responsibility?

Accepted Answer

A)  Refusing the assignment 
B)  Asking for an orientation to the unit 
C)  Admitting lack of knowledge and going home 
D)  Assuming that patient care will be the same as on the other units 
A)  Refusing the assignment 
B)  Asking for an orientation to the unit 
C)  Admitting lack of knowledge and going home 
D)  Assuming that patient care will be the same as on the other units

Question 18

A nursing instructor needs to evaluate students' abilities to synthesize data and identify relationships between nursing diagnoses. Which learning assignment is best suited for this instructor's needs?

Accepted Answer

A)  Concept mapping 
B)  Reflective journaling 
C)  Lecture and discussion 
D)  Reading assignment with a written summary 
A)  Concept mapping 
B)  Reflective journaling 
C)  Lecture and discussion 
D)  Reading assignment with a written summary

Question 19

Which patient scenario of a surgical patient in pain is most indicative of critical thinking?

Accepted Answer

A)  Administering pain-relief medication according to what was given last shift 
B)  Offering pain-relief medication based on the health care provider's orders 
C)  Asking the patient what pain-relief methods, pharmacological and nonpharmacological, have worked in the past 
D)  Explaining to the patient that self-reporting of severe pain is not consistent with the minor procedure that was performed 
A)  Administering pain-relief medication according to what was given last shift 
B)  Offering pain-relief medication based on the health care provider's orders 
C)  Asking the patient what pain-relief methods, pharmacological and nonpharmacological, have worked in the past 
D)  Explaining to the patient that self-reporting of severe pain is not consistent with the minor procedure that was performed

Question 20

While caring for a hospitalized older-adult female post hip surgery, the nurse is faced with the task of inserting an indwelling urinary catheter, which involves rotating the hip into a contraindicated position. Which action should the nurse take?

Accepted Answer

A)  Postpone catheter insertion until the next shift. 
B)  Adapt the positioning technique to the situation. 
C)  Notify the health care provider for a urologist consult. 
D)  Follow textbook procedure with contraindicated position. 
A)  Postpone catheter insertion until the next shift. 
B)  Adapt the positioning technique to the situation. 
C)  Notify the health care provider for a urologist consult. 
D)  Follow textbook procedure with contraindicated position.

Exam 15: Critical Thinking in Nursing Practice

Which findings will alert the nurse that stress is present when making a clinical decision? (Select all that apply.)

A nurse is using a critical thinking model to provide care. Which component is first that helps a nurse make clinical decisions?

A patient is having trouble reaching the water fountain while holding on to crutches. The nurse suggests that the patient place the crutches against the wall while stabilizing him or herself with two hands on the water fountain. Which critical thinking attitude did the nurse use in this situation?

Which action should the nurse take when using critical thinking to make clinical decisions?

A nurse is reviewing care plans. Which finding, if identified in a plan of care, should the registered nurse revise?

Which action by a nurse indicates application of the critical thinking model to make the best clinical decisions?

Which action demonstrates a nurse utilizing reflection to improve clinical decision making?

A nurse is using professional standards to influence clinical decisions. What is the rationale for the nurse's actions?

A nurse who is caring for a patient with a pressure ulcer applies the recommended dressing according to hospital policy. Which standard is the nurse following?

Which action indicates a registered nurse is being responsible for making clinical decisions?

A patient continues to report postsurgical incision pain at a level of 9 out of 10 after pain medicine is given. The next dose of pain medicine is not due for another hour. What should the critically thinking nurse do first\bold{first}first ?

A nurse is using the critical thinking skill of evaluation. Which action will the nurse take?

A charge nurse is supervising the care of a new nurse. Which action by a new nurse indicates the charge nurse needs to intervene?

Which action should the nurse take to best develop critical thinking skills?

The patient appears to be in no apparent distress, but vital signs taken by assistive personnel reveal an extremely low pulse. The nurse then auscultates an apical pulse and asks the patient whether there is any history of heart problems. The nurse is utilizing which critical thinking skill?

The nurse enters a room to find the patient sitting up in bed crying. How will the nurse display a critical thinking attitude in this situation?

A nurse is pulled from the surgical unit to work on the oncology unit. Which action by the nurse displays humility and responsibility?

A nursing instructor needs to evaluate students' abilities to synthesize data and identify relationships between nursing diagnoses. Which learning assignment is best suited for this instructor's needs?

Which patient scenario of a surgical patient in pain is most indicative of critical thinking?

While caring for a hospitalized older-adult female post hip surgery, the nurse is faced with the task of inserting an indwelling urinary catheter, which involves rotating the hip into a contraindicated position. Which action should the nurse take?

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A patient continues to report postsurgical incision pain at a level of 9 out of 10 after pain medicine is given. The next dose of pain medicine is not due for another hour. What should the critically thinking nurse do $\bold{first}$ ?