877.809.5515 www.knowingmore.com [email protected] A Professional Growth Module: CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS ©1998-2016 May be copied for use within each physical location that purchases this inservice. Developing Top-Notch CNAs, One Inservice at a Time Inside This A Professional Growth Module: Inservice: Critical Thinking Skills The Way We Think 2 USING YOUR HEAD! Facts VS Opinions 3 Let’s Start With a Laugh! You are thinking critically when Other Ways of Thinking 4 Jim knocked on a client’s you: bathroom door and How to Think Critically 5-6 Look for things that may be asked, “Is anyone in clouding your judgment. there?” The Nursing Process 7 Explore ideas that might bring a He heard a mumbled new solution to an old problem. Tips & More Tips! 8-10 response, to which he said, “Is that a yes or a Take responsibility for what you no?” say and do instead of just blindly (Oh, Jim...use your following other people. head!) Expose yourself to new information and keep an open mind about what you learn. Recognize that there is usually Do you know people who seem to: more than one way of looking at Speak without thinking first? things...and that things are NOT always what they seem. Believe everything they hear? Make the same mistakes over Figure out what you really and over? believe—instead of letting others tell you what to believe. If so, these people probably need to “beef up” their critical thinking skills. Are more concerned with finding In fact, most of us can benefit from the best solution rather than just using our heads a bit more often! being “right”. Using your head means that you are Avoid making snap judgments. © 201 In the Know, Inc. www.knowingmore.com thinking critically. And, critical May be copied for use within thinking happens when you pay What’s the bottom line? close attention to what you hear, say each physical location that When you think critically, and do—and think it all through purchases this inservice from you are taking charge of In the Know. All other carefully. copying or distribution is your own mind! A Professional Growth Module: Critical Thinking Skills Page 2 The Way We Think! The human brain is the most It’s possible to train ourselves to complex brain of any animal on think faster and be “smarter” by Earth. There are more nerve cells creating new brain connections. in the brain than there are stars Every time we learn something in the Milky Way. new, we add another connection between two brain cells. In fact, the brain contains over The human brain is about the 100,000 million cells! These brain A simple activity, like doing a size of a cantaloupe, has cells connect to each other to crossword puzzle, helps to wrinkles like a walnut and feels like a ripe avocado! form a gigantic “network”. exercise the brain and create new connections. Every time we have a creative thought, see something different or smell a new odor, we are Time For a Laugh! creating additional connections It was after midnight when between brain cells. Sue finished her Sunday Do you enjoy crossword and turned off learning new the bedside light. Leaning things? Well, Did You Know? over to kiss her tired think about this: husband, she quietly The Cray Computer is one Every year, around remarked, “I do those of the world’s largest the world, over puzzles to keep my brain computers. It can make 1,000,000 new sharp.” books are 400 million calculations in published. That’s just one second. If it kept Out of the darkness, her a lot to read! that up for one hundred husband replied, “Don’t years, it would equal what point that thing at me!” the human brain can do in one minute! If you’d like to learn something new, there is certainly no Do smart people have bigger shortage of information. 75% of brains? Not necessarily. In fact, all the knowledge in existence Albert Einstein’s brain was today has been created since we smaller than average. However, were born. studies have shown that smart Here’s another way to look at it: people have more connections Just one issue of The New York between their brain cells. And, Times newspaper contains the the more connections, the same amount of information that better! Did you know that, during people in the 1600’s obtained our lives, we use less than during their entire lives! one percent of our brain’s potential? © 201 In the Know, Inc. A Professional Growth Module: Critical Thinking Skills Page 3 Critical Thinkers Tend To... Listen carefully. They don’t Avoid shooting down ideas just automatically believe everything because they didn’t think of them. they hear or read. Discover better ways to deal with Ask questions and spend time their problems—instead of analyzing information. avoiding them. Remember… People who Look for ways to prove information Learn how to react to problems always have to be right are rather than just believing it to be logically instead of emotionally. probably not thinking true. critically or creatively. Catch their own mistakes by Remain open to new ideas and are thinking about what they are able to look at things in a new way. doing. Protect themselves from being Perform their duties at work manipulated because they think for without needing to be told what to Knowledge by themselves. do every step of the way. itself is useless. People have to be able to “transfer” their knowledge to the real world. The Difference Between Facts & Opinions For example, John passed his nursing Facts are pieces of information that 3. Opinion or Fact? assistant exam are objective and can be proven. There will be 10% fewer cases of with flying colors Fact: It’s raining outside. tuberculosis by the year 2015. but he can’t seem to complete his Opinions are beliefs or judgments 4. Opinion or Fact? client care and are nearly impossible to prove. ABC Nursing Home has employed properly. Opinion: This is the worst rainstorm 20% more nursing assistants I’ve ever seen. since last year. Sometimes, it’s not so easy to tell the 5. Opinion or Fact? difference between facts and It is pointless to rush through opinions. For example, which are your work. each of these? 6. Opinion or Fact? 1. Opinion or Fact? When lifting a client, it’s a Mr. Black has diabetes. good idea to ask for help from your coworkers. 2. Opinion or Fact? 4. Fact 5. Opinion 6. Opinion Opinion 6. Opinion 5. Fact 4. Exercise is the main key to Opinion 3. Opinion 2. Fact 1. People who are critical thinkers are valuable employees! successful weight loss. answers: the are Here © 201 In the Know, Inc. A Professional Growth Module: Critical Thinking Skills Page 4 What Other Ways Do People Think? In addition to critical thinking, there For example: Jim hears a rumor at are a number of other ways that work that all the CNA’s will be getting a people tend to think. Everyone is 10% raise. He is so happy about this guilty of not thinking “straight” that he doesn’t bother to check with his sometimes, but people who supervisor. Instead, he buys a new TV Remember...critical thinkers are frequently think in the following he’s been wanting. in charge of their own minds! ways may need to “use their heads” a bit more! 4. Authoritarian Thinking 1. Illogical Thinking People who tend to blindly accept People who use illogical thinking to what someone in authority says are using authoritarian thinking. When solve a problem are usually on shaky Here’s an ground. They base their ideas on they are told something by a boss or example of false information. For example: a minister or a family member, they authoritarian Sue notices that Mrs. Brown never eats accept what they hear as correct— thinking! without questioning it! carrots when they are served to her. Dan had just For example: The nursing supervisor Carrots are orange. So, Sue figures that finished military Mrs. Brown doesn’t like orange foods. tells Marsha that her client, Mr. Baxter, boot camp when slept poorly the night before. She he took a two- day instructs Marsha to let Mr. Baxter sleep 2. Wishful Thinking drive across through breakfast and lunch so he can country to his new Often, wishful thinking keeps people catch up on his sleep. Marsha doesn’t assignment. from facing reality. When faced with question the supervisor. Midmorning of the a problem, they don’t look for second day, Dan solutions. Instead, they try to “wish” 5. Intuitive Thinking called his father the problem away or simply hope from the hotel. that it will disappear on its own. People who think intuitively tend to For example: Jim’s favorite client, Mr. rely on their “gut” to solve a problem. “Why aren’t you on the road yet?” Washington, has terminal cancer. Jim They believe that the best solution to asked Dan’s father. keeps telling himself...and the client’s a problem will just “come to them” family...that Mr. Washington is getting because of their own life experiences. “Well, Dad, I’m all better. For example: Sam has a new client, ready to go,” Mrs. Norton, who has multiple sclerosis. replied Sam has never worked with someone Dan, “but 3. Emotional Thinking with MS, but he figures that his the sign on the Some people tend to rely on their experience with stroke victims will help emotions when they think about door says him know what to do with Mrs.