The Critical Thinking Assessment Tool

Critical thinking is an essential skill that everyone should develop, as it may be used in various contexts and fields. Billings argues that it is crucial since it improves one’s decision- making ability and problem-solving problems in clinical judgment tasks. (Billings, 2019). This makes it essential. After all, it is essential because it is essential. Evaluations, testing, and patient talks all contribute to the Nurse Practitioners’ gathering of a substantial amount of patient data. The following evaluation tool was developed for individuals who are responsible for the care of older persons as a result of the fact that older people usually have major medical difficulties.

Population

My choice was to focus on caregivers for elderly patients because of the significant amount of analytical work that is required of them.
Assessment Tool includes
• There are eight questions, each addressing a specific cognitive habit or behavior.
• A rationale for each question – why that question can measure that specific cognitive habit or behavior.

Nurses are expected to use cognitive skills when caring for patients and making other important decisions at work. For a considerable amount of time, this issue has generated a lot of debate and controversy. Both the capacity for data analysis and the capacity for critical thought on that data are included in these cognitive talents. When a specific cognitive behavior habit is addressed, it helps the nurse understand the senior person’s actual life issues and concerns. Careful, well-prepared, and deliberate effort is required to correctly recognize and grasp the client’s challenges to benefit both parties. They need to take a stance that takes into

account the four components of judgment, which include (1) obeying the norms of the clinical context, (2) interpreting evidence, (3) reacting to possible alternative actions, and (4) thinking back on past decisions and envisioning how they could be improved. (Cadavero et al., 2020).

I decided to go with a critical appraisal tool because it allows nurses to evaluate the evidence by using structured checklists and structured questions (Buccheri & Sharifi, 2017). The following are some examples of the kinds of inquiries the instrument might ask.

A Table

Question Rationale
How do you typically approach a healthcare issue or decision involving your loved one? (Problem-Solving) This question is designed to assess the caregiver’s ability to recognize and classify the problem, assemble data, evaluate available options, and devise and implement a plan of
action.
How do you determine the reliability of information about your loved one’s healthcare needs? (Information Literacy) This investigation evaluates the caregiver’s ability to identify trustworthy sources, evaluate the precision of the data, and draw logical
inferences from the information.
Can you provide an example of a situation where you had to adapt your care approach due to changing circumstances? (Flexibility) The response to this question illustrates an adaptable attitude since it puts the caregiver’s capacity to change their care plan in response to shifting conditions or requirements to the
test.
How do you communicate with the medical staff caring for them? (Communication That
Works) To successfully display strong communication skills, the caregiver needs to be able to interact
with medical specialists and effectively

advocate for the requirements of their loved

one.
How do you prioritize and manage competing demands when caring for your loved one? (Time Management) Using this question, the caregiver’s capacity for effective time management, task prioritizing, and care coordination may be evaluated. This question requires a high level
of time management skills.
How do you approach decision-making when there are conflicting opinions about your loved one’s care needs? (Conflict Resolution) The caregiver’s competence to manage issues collaboratively and constructively while negotiating solutions will be assessed using
this inquiry.
Describe a situation where you had to think creatively to solve a healthcare problem for your loved one. (Creativity) The response to this question demonstrates the caregiver’s ability to develop creative solutions to problems that arise in the healthcare
industry.
How do you judge your care deliverance experiences to those who have insights into your practice? (Reflection) Through this inquiry, the caregiver’s capacity for self-reflection, appraisal, and learning from experience to improve their approach to providing care will be evaluated.
Conclusion
In conclusion, those who offer care for elderly patients who have complex medical requirements require the capability of critical thinking because it is an essential ability. Those who can think critically have an advantage while providing care. It is essential because there is a potential patient safety threat. The type of assessment that was just covered measures mental habits and behavior, both of which are necessary components of Critical Thinking. Acquiring and

cultivating these characteristics can assist careers in improving their capacities, which in turn can support better health outcomes for the individuals for whom they are providing care.
Additionally, the cognitive assessment is quite important because it enables the nurse to precisely identify the issues that the patient is experiencing, which in turn enables him to provide high- quality care that is safe, efficient, timely, equitable, and self-centered, thereby reducing the number of adverse events, including those that result in hospitalization.

References

Billings, D. M. (2019). Teaching nurses to make clinical judgments that ensure patient safety. PubMed. https://journals.healio.com/doi/abs/10.3928/00220124-20190612-04
Buccheri, R., & Sharifi, C. O. (2017). Institutional Repository (IR) at the University of San Francisco (USF), hosted by Gleeson Library. https://repository.usfca.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1025&context=librarian
Cadavero, A. A., JR, PHD, RN, CCRN, WOCN, Oermann, M. H., ANEF, & FAAN. (2020,

October 27). Seven tips for teaching clinical judgment through cases. Wolters Kluwer

• Combining Domain Expertise With Advanced Technology | Wolters Kluwer. https://www.wolterskluwer.com/en/expert-insights/teaching-clinical-judgment-
  through-cases