Critical Thinking in a clinical setting
I am a clinical instructor and can see the changes a student goes through. We start the students in pre-clinic to prepare them to see patients. It is wonderful to watch them develop critical thinking skills from pre-clinic to clinic. My role is also to help prepare them with critical thinking skills they can bring to their job, which is different than a clinical setting. For example, when they are senior students I ask them what they would do in an office if a patient has not taken their antibiotic premeditation prior to the appointment and their employer insists you see the patient. They have to make a ethical and professional opinion.
I have been a teacher for a number of years and worked in post-secondary education administration. My diverse experience has taught me students often fail to critically access all the pieces of a situation and cohesively encode them in their own thinking which might lead to a logical outcome. Some of this deficiency, I feel, is due to their lack of experiences to appropriately apply base knowledge to the context and of the present. I often encourage them to think backward with the "end in mind." This seems to help them critically think the outcome of varied paths as they consider their problems and opportunities. It also provides a field on which we can have open discussions regarding options.
James,
This is has been my experience as well. Many students are afraid to take any kind of risk in terms of laying out a strategy for problem solving. I strive to get them to think through the various ways that the problem can be solved but it takes some real effort to get them to expand their vision and see different possibilities.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I think that ethical and moral decisions have to trump management wants. Not an easy thing to do in today’s society but one that we need to use as a base in critical thinking in the medical environment.
Victor,
This is such an important part of the critical thinking process. Students need to see how their own moral decisions fit within their career area and how they are going to be able to function in such settings.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Some of the fields that adult learners are entering are time oriented, such as working in appointment driven professions. They need to deliver a service in a timely manner, then move on to the next scheduled person. I emphasize to my learners that they need to assess their patients condition, their needs and deliver treatment in a humane, ethical and timely fashion. It requires critical thinking skills to be able to function at this level.
Paula,
Good approach because in many situations time is both a blessing and enemy in terms of patient care. Knowing how to manage time effectively will be a big part of career success for students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Yes, this is my experience as well. Once they have cemented the basic skills. The what are you going to do "if" or "when" an event occurs is a favorite twist to clinical practice.
