Improving Teaching for Thinking

Critical thinking for problem-solving is an essential component of the increasingly complex field of nursing. Public education research repeatedly points to a lack of quality teaching of these skills in the lower grades. Nursing educators may be inheriting a population of students who have not achieved a level of cognitive thinking that is necessary for effective problem-solving. More specific strategies must be incorporated into the nursing curriculum to stimulate higher-order critical thinking skills in both theory and practice situations. Models, guidelines, and strategies have been explored in an effort to teach these skills more effectively.