Final answer:
The student nurse is displaying self-awareness by admitting not knowing the answer despite having studied, which represents a gap in the ability to apply knowledge in the context of a critical thinking question.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student nurse who says, "I studied, but I don't know the answer to that question," is not necessarily displaying any of the specific thinking skills like thorough thinking, creative thinking, reactive thinking, or critical thinking.
However, in the context of the question about types of thinking, the student nurse may be demonstrating self-awareness and honesty by admitting a gap in their knowledge.
Even though they have studied, they have not yet reached a level of understanding necessary to apply their knowledge to answer the critical thinking question posed by the instructor, which often requires a deeper comprehension and the ability to apply learned concepts in different contexts.
correct option D. Critical thinking