Facilitating Critical Thinking in Clinical Practice.

Abstract

Activities to promote the transfer of theoretical knowledge into clinical practice have been developed to facilitate learning by individuals with various learning styles, reduce student stress, and improve teaching methods in a baccalaureate nursing program at the California State University, Chico. Specific activities included innovative applications of critical incidents, feedback lectures, case studies, and computer-assisted interactive video instruction. The feedback lecture was developed out of need to accomplish three goals: (1) integrate teaching and learning styles; (2) increase student involvement; and (3) broaden critical thinking processes. The class format was changed to include a shorter lecture with audio-visual materials, presentation of a class activity, and group discussion. Simulation materials have been developed to assist students in using a decision-making model to work through assigned clinical problems, which include simulated encounters of critical incidents designed to target specific theoretical content and to stimulate general discussion of the topics presented. Case studies have also been developed to pull the entire nursing program together; they include medical-surgical and maternal-child nursing situations. (DJR)