Which is the best staffing pattern to prevent turnover and ensure quality patient care?
LEARNING KEY SKILLS IN NURSING MANAGEMENT
N urse managers are expected to use knowledge from various disciplines to solve prob-lems with patients, staff, and the organization as well as problems in their own personal and professional lives. They must make decisions in dynamic situations, such as: ● After a position vacates should we refill it, given the tighter economy? ● Is the present policy requiring 12-hour shifts adequate for both patients and nurses? ● Which is the best staffing pattern to prevent turnover and ensure quality patient care? ● What is the best time to have staff meetings and council meetings in order to involve the
night shift too?
This chapter explains and differentiates critical thinking, decision making, and problem solv- ing and describes processes and techniques for using each.
Critical Thinking Critical thinking is the process of examining underlying assumptions, interpreting and evaluat- ing arguments, imagining and exploring alternatives, and developing a reflective criticism for the purpose of reaching a conclusion that can be justified. Critical thinking is not the same as criticism, though it does call for inquiring attitudes, knowledge about evidence and analysis, and skills to combine them.