Introduction
The role of nurses in the current institutions of healthcare is changing very rapidly and they need to adapt to these changes. Nurses are currently expected to make critical decisions when it comes to managing patients. This requires that they have proper clinical judgment skills that will ensure that their decisions help in saving the lives of their patients. This paper will focus on critical thinking and clinical judgment in nursing.
How Critical Thinking and Clinical Judgment Skills Can Be Nurtured In a New Nurse
When an experienced nurse is mentoring a new nurse, it is important to nurture critical thinking and clinical judgment to ensure that these new nurses are fully empowered when they begin their practice. Critical thinking and clinical judgment skills can be natural by allowing these nurses to make decisions on areas within their jurisdiction. They should also be taught when they are expected to make a decision and how to make critical decisions. The mentor should provide the new nurses with a guide that explains how the decision should be made and the mistakes to avoid when making judgments.
Why It Matters If We Are Aware Of the Multiple Types of Intelligence
Understanding multiple types of intelligence matters for a nurse working in an environment where a critical decision has to be made to save the lives of patients. Linguistic intelligence is very critical when it comes to communication. A nurse should have a mastery of the languages used by the patients both in verbal or written forms. Logical-mathematical intelligence is very important for nurses for problem-solving, establishing relationships and patterns, dealing with numbers, and computing problems within hospitals. Intrapersonal intelligence is also critical for nurses when handling patients.
It enables them to understand the inner emotions of their patients and how to develop a relationship that is mutually beneficial in an attempt to address the medical problems of the patient. Finally, nurses should understand visual-spatial intelligence which involves the perception of the environment. Nurses should be aware of the most appropriate environment under which an inpatient can have a peaceful bed rest.
Examples from Nursing Practice That Show Positive or Negative Outcomes of Mentoring
Mentoring of nurses to equip them with critical thinking and clinical judgment in nursing is very important. I remember an unfortunate incident that took place when we were first introduced to our workplaces at a local healthcare center. A patient who was involved in a road accident was brought to the casualty. The experienced nurses and doctors who were expected to attend to this patient were engaged in another emergency case.
The three of us were new to such critical units and could not make clear decisions about the appropriate actions to take. We were armed with linguistic intelligence, interpersonal intelligence, and intrapersonal intelligence. However, we lacked spatial and logical intelligence on how to handle the patient. All we could do was to assure the patient that all will be fine as we waited for the experienced medical team. By the time this team arrived, we had already lost the patient. I realized that changes should be made to improve the learning process for nurses. They should be empowered to respond to such critical situations as soon as possible.
Conclusion
Nurses should be empowered to make critical decisions when handling patients in healthcare institutions. Armed with various types of intelligence, they should know what to do when working in environments that are demanding.