Nursing Global Conference

All these clinical decision-making and critical thinking skills are the bases of nursing care skills that enable nurses to analyze information, understand the needs of the patient, and make decisions based on information that will benefit the outcomes of the patients. The effectiveness of delivering quality patient care hinges significantly on such skills, hence when such complex situations arise, the nurses must quickly think critically to work towards evidence-based solutions in order to care for their patients. During this session, best practices, problem-solving strategies, and ways of sound clinical judgment in diverse health-care settings toward developing clinical decision-making and critical thinking skill in nursing shall be discussed.

In a nutshell, an integral part of clinical decision-making, collection, and assessment of relevant information regarding a patient's condition take place. Nurses make use of techniques for assessment to determine whether symptoms are present, to review patients' medical histories, and to analyze diagnostic data. Critical thinking concerns a more objective search of available information by exploring possible causes and risk factors as well as possible interventions. Nurses are prepared to identify the best possible interventions for each patient through a systematic approach to decision-making that ensures care is always safe, effective, and delivered as appropriate to the individual's needs.

Evidence-based practice forms the basis of effective clinical decision making. She is, therefore, challenged to find support from research findings and clinical guidelines as well as her own experience. This therefore means updating her knowledge with the latest medical advances, treatments, and nursing practices. It is thus in this way that the given care can be in accordance with the standards and proven to improve the outcomes of the patients by including evidence in decision-making. This also fosters critical thinking because it is evidence-based practice; hence, it means challenging the traditional practices and shifting towards better solutions.

Critical thinking in the nursing ability is therefore strongly linked to problem-solving skills since nurses at times face unexpected changes in patients, resource constraints, or other controversial treatment options. A proper problem-solving requires a good understanding of the situation, the ability to anticipate complications, and a readiness to change care plans. Besides all these necessities, an effective means of communication and inter-professional collaboration is called for as a means to gain additional insights and support for the decision.

The session will focus on best practices: how one can analyze data techniques, strategies on how to use evidence-based resources, and ways of effective communication that will lead to developing skills for a nurse in clinical decision-making and critical thinking. Other topics that will be discussed include approaches for self-reflection, strategies for continuous learning, and the roles of mentorship in developing this area of critical thinking. This way, the nurses will be able to enhance their clinical judgment hence being in a position to make proper decisions. This, therefore will contribute to a heightened form of patient care.

These guidelines will be a guide for the nurses who are interested in developing more thinking skills and good clinical decision-making with the support of their practice in delivering effective, patient-centered care.