A consensus statement on critical thinking in nursing

Area of Science:

• Nursing Science
• Healthcare Education

Background:

• Critical thinking is fundamental to effective nursing practice.
• A universally accepted definition and its components were lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a consensus definition of critical thinking in nursing.
• To identify and define the affective and cognitive components of critical thinking in nursing.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a 5-round Delphi technique.
• Engaged an international expert nursing panel from nine countries and 23 U.S. states.
• Conducted between 1995 and 1998.

Main Results:

• Achieved a consensus definition of critical thinking in nursing.
• Identified 10 "habits of the mind" (affective components): confidence, contextual perspective, creativity, flexibility, inquisitiveness, intellectual integrity, intuition, open-mindedness, perseverance, and reflection.
• Identified 7 skills (cognitive components): analyzing, applying standards, discriminating, information seeking, logical reasoning, predicting, and transforming knowledge.

Conclusions:

• The established definition and components provide a framework for critical thinking in nursing.
• Findings support practitioners, educators, and researchers in advancing the understanding and application of critical thinking.
• This work enhances the scientific basis of nursing by defining a core competency.