The Role of Critical Thinking in Nursing Decision-Making
Abstract
Lifelong learning plays a crucial role In nursing to remain competent, achieve adjustment to changing healthcare conditions, and deliver quality patient care. Critical decision-making is one of the foundations In this process, this allows nurses to analyze the complex situations, combine evidence-based knowledge, and reflect on the outcomes to enhance the practice continually. This article reveals the relationship between critical decision-making and lifelong learning in nursing along with the role of reflective practice, analytical reasoning, and evidence-based strategies in the development of a professional. The principles of improving the development of critical decision-making skills, including mentorship, learning together, and professional development are also addressed. The knowledge of this relationship helps nurses to deliver safe, effective, and adaptive care and create a culture of lifelong learning and professionalism.
Full text article
References
Nibbelink CW, Brewer BB. Decision-making in nursing practice: an integrative literature review. J Clin Nurs. 2018;27. – PMC – PubMed
Dunn Lopez K, Gephart SM, Raszewski R, Sousa V, Shehorn LE, Abraham J. Integrative review of clinical decision support for registered nurses in acute care settings. J Am Med Inform Assoc JAMIA. 2017;24. – PMC – PubMed
Bates DW, Levine DM, Salmasian H, Syrowatka A, Shahian DM, Lipsitz S, et al. The safety of inpatient health care. N Engl J Med. 2023;388. – PubMed
Adler L, Yi D, Li M, McBroom B, Hauck L, Sammer C, et al. Impact of inpatient harms on hospital finances and patient clinical outcomes. J Patient Saf. 2018;14. – PMC – PubMed
Slawomirski L, Auraaen A, Klazinga NS. The economics of patient safety – Strengthening a value-based approach to reducing patient harm at national level. OECD Health Working Papers No. 96. 2017.
Eldridge N, Wang Y, Metersky M, Eckenrode S, Mathew J, Sonnenfeld N, et al. Trends in adverse event rates in hospitalized patients, 2010-2019. JAMA. 2022;328. – PMC – PubMed
Edmonds JK, George EK, Iobst SE, Bingham D. Three missed critical nursing care processes on labor and delivery units during the COVID-19 Pandemic. JOGNN – J Obstetric Gynecologic Neonatal Nursing. 2023;52. – PMC – PubMed
Nymark C, von Vogelsang AC, Falk AC, Göransson KE. Patient safety, quality of care and missed nursing care at a cardiology department during the COVID-19 outbreak. Nurs Open. 2022;9. – PMC – PubMed
Bragadóttir H, Kalisch BJ, Tryggvadóttir GB. Correlates and predictors of missed nursing care in hospitals. J Clin Nurs. 2017;26. – PubMed
Mills SL, Duddle M. Missed nursing care in Australia: exploring the contributing factors. Collegian. 2022;29.
Grimley KA, Gruebling N, Kurani A, Marshall D. Nurse sensitive indicators and how COVID-19 influenced practice change. Nurse Lead. 2021;19. – PMC – PubMed
Rony MKK, Parvin MR, Ferdousi S. Advancing nursing practice with artificial intelligence: enhancing preparedness for the future. Nurs Open. 2024;11. – PMC – PubMed
Mebrahtu TF, Skyrme S, Randell R, Keenan AM, Bloor K, Yang H, et al. Effects of computerised clinical decision support systems (CDSS) on nursing and allied health professional performance and patient outcomes: a systematic review of experimental and observational studies. BMJ Open. 2021;11. – PMC – PubMed
Ortiz DR, Maia FDOM, Ortiz DCF, Peres HHC, De Sousa PAF. Computerized clinical decision support system utilization in nursing: a scoping review protocol. JBI Database Systematic Rev Implement Reports. 2017;15. – PubMed
Akbar S, Lyell D, Magrabi F. How well do computerised decision support systems cover nursing standards of practice? A literature review. Stud Health Technol Inform. 2021. – PubMed
Hants L, Bail K, Paterson C. Clinical decision-making and the nursing process in digital health systems: an integrated systematic review. J Clin Nurs. 2023. – PubMed
Bertocchi L, Dante A, La Cerra C, Masotta V, Marcotullio A, Jones D, et al. Impact of standardized nursing terminologies on patient and organizational outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Nurs Scholarsh. 2023;55. – PubMed
Castellà-Creus M, Delgado-Hito P, Casanovas-Cuellar C, Tàpia-Pérez M, Juvé-Udina ME. Barriers and facilitators involved in standardised care plan individualisation process in acute hospitalisation wards: a grounded theory approach. J Clin Nurs. 2019;28. – PubMed
Yılmaz AA, Ozdemir L. Development and implementation of the clinical decision support system for patients with cancer and nurses. Experiences Regarding System. Int J Nurs Knowl. 2017;28. – PubMed
Bail K, Merrick E, Bridge C, Redley B. Documenting patient risk and nursing interventions: record audit. Aus J Adv Nursing. 2021;38.
De Oliveira NB, Peres HHC. Quality of the documentation of the nursing process in clinical decision support systems. Rev Lat Am Enfermagem. 2021;29. – PMC – PubMed
Akbar S, Lyell D, Magrabi F. Automation in nursing decision support systems: a systematic review of effects on decision making, care delivery, and patient outcomes. J Am Med Inf Assoc. 2021;28. – PMC – PubMed
Domingos CS, Boscaroll GT, Brinati LM, Dias AC, de Souza CC, Salgado PO. The application of computerized nursing process: integrative review. Enfermeria Global. 2017;16.
Lopez KD, Febretti A, Stifter J, Johnson A, Wilkie DJ, Keenan G. Toward a more robust and efficient usability testing method of clinical decision support for nurses derived from nursing electronic health record data. Int J Nurs Knowl. 2017;28. – PMC – PubMed
Junior MG da S, da C AE, Moraes CRS, Gonçalves LHT. Software for systematization of nursing care in medical units. Rev Bras Enferm. 2018;71. – PubMed
Whitehead D, Conley J. The Next Frontier of Remote Patient Monitoring: Hospital at Home. J Med Internet Res. 2023;25:e42335. – PMC – PubMed
Desai M, Tardif-Douglin M, Miller I, Blitzer S, Gardner DL, Thompson T, Edmondson L, Levine DM. Implementation of Agile in healthcare: methodology for a multisite home hospital accelerator. BMJ Open Qual. 2024;13(2):e002764. – PMC – PubMed
Burgess LH, Kramer J, Olp JG. Elevating Exposure of Pharmacy Services and Medication Management. HCA Healthc J Med. 2023;4(2):73-75. – PMC – PubMed
Labkoff S, Oladimeji B, Kannry J, Solomonides A, Leftwich R, Koski E, Joseph AL, Lopez-Gonzalez M, Fleisher LA, Nolen K, Dutta S, Levy DR, Price A, Barr PJ, Hron JD, Lin B, Srivastava G, Pastor N, Luque US, Bui TTT, Singh R, Williams T, Weiner MG, Naumann T, Sittig DF, Jackson GP, QuIntana Y. Toward a responsible future: recommendations for AI-enabled clinical decision support. J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2024;31(11):2730-2739. – PMC – PubMed
Hibbert PD, Raggett L, Molloy CJ, Westbrook J, Magrabi F, Mumford V, Clay-Williams R, Lingam R, Salmon PM, Middleton S, Roberts M, Bradd P, Bowden S, Ryan K, Zacka M, Sketcher-Baker K, Phillips A, Birks L, Arya DK, Trevorrow C, Handa S, Swaminathan G, Carson-Stevens A, Wiig S, de Wet C, Austin EE, Nic Giolla Easpaig B, Wang Y, Arnolda G, Peterson GM, Braithwaite J. Improving health system responses when patients are harmed: a protocol for a multistage mixed-methods study. BMJ Open. 2024;14(7):e085854. – PMC – PubMed
Cesare M, et al. Standardized Nursing Diagnoses In a Surgical Hospital Setting: A Retrospective Study Based on Electronic Health Data. SAGE Open Nurs. 2023. PMID: 36824318 – Free PMC article
Cesare M, et al. Exploring the Association between Complexity of Care, Medical Complexity, and Length of Stay In the Paediatric Setting Using a Nursing Minimum Data Set: A Study Protocol. Nurs Rep. 2024. PMID: 39449450 – Free PMC article
Luna-Aleixos D, et al. Developing and validating an integrated instrument for nursing assessments in adult hospitalization units: Study protocol. Nurs Open. 2023. PMID: 36598889 – Free PMC article
Butcher RCGES, et al. Psychometric evaluation of the Functional Health Pattern Assessment Screening Tool - Modified Brazilian Version. Rev Lat Am Enfermagem. 2024. PMID: 38511736 – Free PMC article
Eleke C, et al. Configuring a computer-based nursing process form to support nursing diagnosis in rural healthcare clinics in Nigeria. J Public Health Afr. 2023. PMID: 38020264 – Free PMC article
The Impact of Simulation-Based Learning on Critical Thinking and Clinical Decision Making in Nursing Students: A Systematic Review.
The Relationship between Critical Thinking Dispositions and Clinical Decision Making in Emergency Nurses.
Effectiveness of Case-Based Learning on Developing Critical Thinking and Decision-Making Skills in Baccalaureate Nursing Students.
Critical Thinking and It’s association with Patient Outcomes In Medical-Surgical Units: A Cross-Sectional Study.
The Role of Critical Thinking In Reducing Medication Errors: A Qualitative Study of Experienced Nurses.
Examining the Correlation between Clinical Reasoning, Critical Thinking, and Clinical Competence in Senior Nursing Students.
Development and Evaluation of a Critical Thinking Enhancement Program for Newly Graduated Nurses.
Critical Thinking as a Mediator between Experiencee and Clinical Judgment In Nursing Practice.
The Influence of Clinical Work Environment on Nurses' Critical Thinking and Decision-Making in Primary Care.
Systematic Review: Critical Thinking, Clinical Judgment, and Decision Making in Nursing.
Meta-Analysis of Educational Interventions to Improve Critical Thinking In Nursing Students (2018-2024).
Review of Tools and Instruments Used to Measure Critical Thinking In Nursing Clinical Decision Making Research.
Conceptual Analysis of Critical Thinking In Nursing: Current Definitions and Theoretical Frameworks.
The Relationship between Reflective Practice and Critical Thinking Skills among Registered Nurses: A Scoping Review.
Nurses' Perception of Critical Thinking Barriers In Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Decision-Making.
Using High-Fidelity Simulation to Measure the Effect of Critical Thinking on Decision-Making Accuracy.
The Impact of Clinical Supervision on the Development of Critical Thinking In Novice Nurses.
Correlates of Critical Thinking Dispositions and Clinical Decision-Making Skills among Oncology Nurses.
Exploring the Use of Technology-Enhanced Learning for Critical Thinking In Nursing Education.
Teaching Strategies to Foster Critical Thinking and Decision Making In Undergraduate Nursing Programs.
Assessing the Effect of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) on Critical Thinking Skills and Clinical Decision Making.
Clinical Instructors' Perceptions and Implementation of Critical Thinking in Clinical Teaching.
The Development of a Valid and Reliable Scale to Measure Critical Thinking In Nursing Decision Making.
The Role of Faculty Development In Promoting Critical Thinking in Nursing Curriculum.
Effect of Nurse Mentoring on Critical Thinking and Clinical Decision Making In Post-Surgical Wards.
A Comparative Study of Critical Thinking Levels between Diploma and Baccalaureate Prepared Nurses In Decision Making.
Relationship between Critical Thinking and Moral Decision Making In Ethical Dilemmas in Nursing.
The Effect of Debriefing Methods Following Simulation on Critical Thinking In Nursing Students.
Nurses’ self-assessment of their critical thinking skIlls and its relationship to their actual clinical decision-making performance.
The Impact of Nurses' Critical Thinking Ability on Patient Safety Culture in Hospitals.
Critical Thinking Skills and the Quality of Nursing Care Planning: A Correlation Study.
Predictors of Clinical Judgment and Decision Making in Registered Nurses: The Role of Critical Thinking Disposition.
Factors Affecting Critical Thinking in Nurses and Its Relationship with Clinical Decision Making in Emergency Situations.
The mediating role of critical thinking in the relationship between emotional intelligence and clinical decision-making effectiveness.
Comparison of the Effectiveness of Traditional Versus Flipped Classroom Models on Critical Thinking Skills of Nursing Students.
Implementing Interprofessional Education to Enhance Critical Thinking and Collaborative Decision Making in Nursing Students.
The Effect of Reflective Journaling on Improving Critical Thinking and Clinical Decision Making in Clinical Placements.
Developing Critical Thinking Skills through the Use of Concept Mapping in Nursing Education.
A Randomized Controlled Trial on the Effect of Team-Based Learning on Critical Thinking and Clinical Judgment.
Critical Thinking in Pediatric Nursing: How Experienced Nurses Approach Complex Decision-Making.
The Role of Critical Thinking in Triage Decision Making in the Emergency Department.
Assessing the Gap between Perceived and Actual Critical Thinking Skills in Perioperative Nurses.
Critical Thinking and Ethical Decision-Making in Long-Term Care Settings: A Qualitative Study.
Utilization of Critical Thinking in Telehealth and Remote Patient Monitoring Decisions by Nurses.
Nurses' Experiences of Using Critical Thinking in Time-Constrained Clinical Environments: A Phenomenological Study.
Exploring the Development Trajectory of Critical Thinking in Nursing Students Across the Four-Year Curriculum.
A Qualitative Investigation of Expert Nurses' Reasoning Processes During Complex Clinical Decision-Making.
Conceptual Clarity: Differentiating Critical Thinking from Clinical Reasoning and Clinical Judgment in Nursing Literature.
Authors
Copyright (c) 2024 Mona Sanad Almutairi, Reem Salem Alsaleh, Mariam Yousf Hussain Alateye, Sukinah Ramadan Alsmaeel, Zahra Ghali Omran Aladhab, Manal Awad Alqhtani, Asaad Ali Mohammed Habbash, Asma Yousef Khada Baksh, Abdulaziz Marshud Alsuhaimi, Nader Saad Mohammad Aldughaim
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.