Encourage active dialogue between the teacher and students. Demonstrate critical thinking skills through relevant examples. At the beginning level, students can explain basic care for fairly standard diagnoses such as a fever or fracture. As symptoms become more complex or involve more than one issue, students need to increase their engagement of their critical thinking skills.
Promote reflective thinking though journal writing and group discussions with the entire class. A variety of opinions promotes different view point and expands the thought processes of students. In critical care situations, students may suggest different care strategies.
Discuss alternatives to ethical or clinical situations. Use real life examples at the students' level to promote the discussion of alternatives for common nursing experiences. Talk about problem cases to help nursing students translate clinical material to practical application. Encourage student questions and analyze solutions.
Place several students together in small groups to maximize cooperative learning and encourage trainees to work together.
Measure student progress through testing, such as the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal. This standardized, commonly used to assess the critical thinking skills of nursing students, emphasizes practical skills needed in nursing. With a 25-year documented history, including continuing updates, the WGCTA has stood the test of time. With proven reliability, it is easy to give and score. Open-ended test questions also effectively assess the critical thinking skills needed in nursing. Emphasize the process used to arrive at the answer instead of the answer itself.