Critical thinking: a foundation for consumer-focused care

Both providers and recipients of health care services are now focusing attention on not only what is provided but also how services are provided. The goal is consumer satisfaction, with pressure on the provider of services to meet customer demands. This shift in focus challenges the knowledge and skills of nurses, and their ability to solve problems in collaboration with their customers. To provide consumer-focused care, nurses will need to develop critical thinking skills that utilize logical/analytical and intuitive/creative approaches to solving problems. Critical thinking skills that integrate these two approaches will provide practitioners expertise in flexible, individualized, and situation-specific problem solving. Nursing staff who are able to focus on the consumer will be better prepared to meet the demands of today's competitive health care market. The challenge facing educators is to prepare nurses with a foundation from which to provide this care.