Making and Judging Deductions

According to Mejía et al., critical thinking is a set of abilities that includes making and judging deductions, identifying unstated or implicit assumptions, and seeking alternative explanations based on the information that is available. According to Keating, critical thinking is an essential part of nursing curriculum planning. The author also states that metacognition, which is thinking about thinking, includes critical thinking and has an important place in nursing classrooms. Moreover, when faculty plans the curriculum, they need to plan how critical thinking will be integrated into the courses and their instructional designs. Nursing students must have critical thinking they apply prerequisite and nursing knowledge to the development of complex thinking skills. Critical thinking and problem-solving are important skills to have in the evolving healthcare system. One of the ways to encourage critical thinking is to provide positive responses and reinforcement.