nursing problem solving and decision making

Critical thinking in nursing protects patient health and contributes to professional development and career advancement. Administrative and clinical nursing leaders are required to have strong critical thinking skills to be successful in their positions.

Critical thinking in nursing promotes active thought and decision-making. When nurses demonstrate clinical thinking skills, they are able to promote improvement in patient care methods and improve professional development opportunities, which benefit patients and the healthcare team.

The term ‘critical thinking’ is often used interchangeably with problem-solving and clinical decision-making in nursing literature. Problem-solving focuses on identification and resolution, whereas critical thinking goes beyond this and incorporates asking questions and critiquing solutions.

Nursing practice demands that practitioners display sound judgement and decision-making skills as critical thinking and clinical decision making is an essential component of nursing practice. Nurses’ ability to recognize and respond to signs of patient deterioration in a timely manner plays a pivotal role in patient outcomes (Purling & King 2012).

Critical thinking is applied by nurses in the process of solving problems of patients and decision-making process with creativity to enhance the effect. It is an essential process for a safe, efficient and skillful nursing intervention.

Clinical decision-making (CDM) is integral to nursing practice and clinical competency and is a central component in nursing education and practice (Johansen & O'Brien, 2015; Nursing and Midwifery Council, 2018). It is a complex process, requiring more of the nurse than just making defined choices between limited options.