Question

A nurse performing triage in an emergency room makes assessments of clients using critical thinking skills. Which of the following are critical thinking activities linked to assessment? Select all that apply.

1) Carrying out a physician's order to intubate a client
2) Educating a novice nurse on the principles of triage
3) Using the nursing process to diagnose a blocked airway
4) Interviewing privately a client suspected of being a victim of abuse
5) Checking with the family about the data supplied by a client suffering from dementia

Answer 1

Critical thinking activities in emergency room assessment include using the nursing process for diagnosis, interviewing clients for abuse assessment, and verifying data with family for clients with impaired cognitive function.

Step-by-step explanation:

The critical thinking activities linked to assessment that a nurse might perform during triage in an emergency room include utilizing the nursing process to diagnose a blocked airway, interviewing a client suspected of being a victim of abuse, and checking with the family about the data supplied by a client suffering from dementia. These actions involve critical thinking because they require the nurse to gather and evaluate information, make decisions based on that information, and prioritize patient care based on assessed needs.

Carrying out a physician's order to intubate a client, while vital, does not constitute a critical thinking activity in assessment since it is the execution of a directive rather than an evaluative process. Similarly, educating a novice nurse on the principles of triage is a valuable teaching activity but does not directly pertain to the assessment of clients.