A nurse is working in an emergency department and receives a call from a paramedic who is transporting a client who was involved in a motor vehicle crash. The paramedic reports that the client has multiple injuries, including a head trauma, chest trauma, and abdominal bleeding. The nurse prepares to receive the client and triage him accordingly. Which of the following statements by the nurse reflects critical thinking?

Choice A:

Assessment. This is the first step of the nursing process, where the nurse collects data about the patient's health status, needs, and problems. This step does not describe the research project, which already has data from the pretest and posttest.

Choice B:

Diagnosis. This is the second step of the nursing process, where the nurse analyzes the data and identifies the patient's actual or potential nursing diagnoses. This step does not describe the research project, which does not focus on individual patients or diagnoses.

Choice C:

Planning. This is the third step of the nursing process, where the nurse sets goals and outcomes for the patient and selects appropriate nursing interventions. This step does not describe the research project, which already has a plan for the intervention and the control group.

Choice D:

Implementation. This is the fourth step of the nursing process, where the nurse carries out the planned interventions and documents the care provided. This step partially describes the research project, which involves implementing the intervention for the experimental group. However, this is not the best answer because it does not capture the whole purpose of the project.

Choice E:

Evaluation. This is the fifth and final step of the nursing process, where the nurse evaluates the patient's progress toward the goals and outcomes and modifies the plan of care as needed. This step best describes the research project, which involves evaluating the effectiveness of the intervention by comparing the pretest and posttest scores of both groups. The nurse uses a standardized test of critical thinking skills as a measure of evaluation.

Choice A :.

This statement reflects critical thinking because the nurse prioritizes the most important assessments for a client with multiple injuries and follows the ABC (airway, breathing, circulation) principle of trauma care. Assessing the level of consciousness, airway, breathing, and circulation is essential to determine the client's condition and plan appropriate interventions.

Choice B :.

This statement does not reflect critical thinking because the nurse expresses a hope rather than a fact or an action. Hoping for no internal injuries or organ damage does not help the nurse to provide effective care for the client. The nurse should focus on assessing the client's injuries and providing appropriate interventions based on the findings.

Choice C :.

This statement does not reflect critical thinking because the nurse wonders about irrelevant information that does not affect the client's care. The cause of the crash and the use of seat belt are not important for the nurse to know at this point. The nurse should focus on assessing the client's injuries and providing appropriate interventions based on the findings.

Choice D :.

This statement does not reflect critical thinking because the nurse jumps to a conclusion without assessing the client first. Calling the trauma surgeon and the neurologist right away may not be necessary or appropriate depending on the client's condition. The nurse should assess the client first and then consult with other health care professionals as needed.