The challenges of developing critical thinking
Limited clinical space
Most nursing school programs have limited access to clinical space for their students to gain bedside experience . Coady explains that with the current healthcare shortage , there is also a shortage of hospitals and organizations that are willing to let nurses come in and practice and gain necessary skills .
High risk
While critical thinking is not a nuance to healthcare , the stakes for learning how to think critically are incredibly high in this industry . Patient lives are at risk when students are practicing on them , but without the learned ability to critically think , nurses are unable to provide quality care .
Limited experience
Simulation labs are often used in place of clinical rotations to teach new nurses clinical skills , including critical thinking . There is a range of options including high-fidelity manikins , low-fidelity manikins , online learning , e-simulation , and a blend of technologies . Unfortunately , many of these programs are cost-prohibitive for schools . Coady explains that though some organizations have high-fidelity simulation labs , some hospitals only have low-fidelity labs where students are
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