Final answer:
The nursing process characteristic that involves critical thinking and questioning is 'analytical' which is important in ensuring evidence-based decision making and problem solving in nursing practice.
Step-by-step explanation:
The characteristic of the nursing process that describes when nurses ask questions and demonstrate the use of critical thinking for each step is analytical. This aspect is essential in nursing, as it involves examining information, looking for trends, using data to arrive at conclusions, and making decisions based on evidence and logic. In the context of critical thinking questions, nurses are prompted to apply their knowledge in various situations, challenge assumptions, and explore different solutions to problems, which aligns with the analytical nature of critical thinking.