NSE 13A/B Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Critical Thinking, Nursing Process, Lifesaving
Document Summary
This section discusses key points about assessment and critical thinking. The database is the totality of information available about the patient. The purpose of assessment is to make a judgement or diagnosis. Diagnostic reasoning is the process of analyzing health data and drawing conclusions to identify diagnoses. The nursing process has six phases: assessment, diagnosis, outcome identification, planning, implementation, and evaluation. It is a dynamic, interactive process in which practitioners move back and forth within the steps. Critical thinking is the multidimensional thinking process needed for sound diagnostic reasoning and clinical judgement. Seventeen critical thinking skills have been identified, including setting priorities: first-level priority problems are emergent, life-threatening, and immediate, such as establishing an airway or supporting breathing, second-level priority problems are next in urgency. They require prompt intervention to prevent deterioration and may include a mental health change or acute pain: third-level priority problems are important to the patient"s health but can be addressed after more urgent problems.
