Final answer:
Critical thinking in nursing practice is characterized by its adherence to professional standards, incorporation of problem-solving and scientific methods, careful identification of issues, efficient documentation, and strategies that optimize human potential.
Step-by-step explanation:
Nurses apply critical thinking to foster clinical reasoning and judgment, which includes several key characteristics:
- A) It is guided by standards, policies and procedures, ethics codes, and laws.
- B) It is based on principles of nursing process, problem solving, and the scientific method.
- C) It carefully identifies the key problems, issues, and risks involved.
- D) It is driven by the nurse's need to document competent, efficient care.
- E) It calls for strategies that make the most of human potential.
These principles contribute to the professional and efficient application of nursing practice. Critical thinking in nursing entails analyzing and evaluating evidence to form a judgment, using logic to solve problems and address issues. This usage of critical thinking ensures that care is provided in a sound, ethical, and legal manner, adhering to the standards expected in healthcare.