Ability to Define and Analyze Problems

Nurse Q's

How can nurse develop the ability to define and analyse problems?

It is important for those within the medical field to continually seek the truth. Science is always telling a new story. Each individual person in need of health care presents new challenges and problem for the system. The ability to problem solve in an efficient manner becomes necessary in order to be successful. Keeping an open mind while always searching for new and better methods of improving the collective health of the society appears mandatory to master this skill.

How can nurse develop the ability to apply critical reasoning to issues through independent thought and informed judgment ?

Critical reasoning is based upon solid arithmetic. Two plus two must equal four and everyone must agree for this to be true in order to employ logic, the manifestation of critical reasoning. Empathy and the ability to understand the human condition will assist the nurses of tomorrow by analyzing a variety of situations other than one's own. Independent thought and informed judgment only arise when context and relative understanding are introduced into the problem. Having a comprehensive understanding of logical fallacies and their misleading rhetorical results will help nurses to siphon out any untruthful or contradictory statements that will lead to more serious problems without solving the initial question.

How can nurse develop the ability to evaluate opinions, make decisions and to reflect critically on the justifications for decisions?

Developing a sense of patience will assist all who need to understand differing opinions and questionable approaches. Haste often does produce a wasteful product and having confidence in one's own reasoning skills by not rushing into judgment will no doubt aide anyone willing to work towards a truthful outcome. Opinions are relative and do not emit a whole sense of the truth, keeping that in mind, those opinions that may offend or flatter must be understood in this context. Critical thinking becomes evident when many opinions can be accepted at once and applying their relative worth to the problem under investigation.

How can nurse develop the understanding of social and civic responsibility?

Taking ownership in one's community both empowers the individual and the community simultaneously and provides a symbiotic relationship between the large and the small.. Civic responsibility is learned through institutional education and should be applied when it seems in the best interest of the patient. The patient's health is also a relative and personal interpretation so inserting social and civic responsibility into healthcare should be done with caution and temperance. A society can not be healthy if its citizens are not at an individual level. Societal transformation will rest upon this smaller but more frequent realization.

How can nurse develop the appreciation of the philosophical and social contexts of nursing?

Nurses, and generally everyone else, should pursue the philosophical context of the profession. Often too much health care proves to be detrimental to the patient and the system needs to often ask if this approach is the best for the patient. Certain treatments and medicines may provide great benefit to the hospital, doctor, pharmaceutical company, but is the patient healing. If not, all is done for personal gain not consistent with the philosophical intent. Investigating one's own personal philosophy will help the nurse to appreciate others ways of thinking and experiencing life.