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read the following post a provide a reply as a DNP student, use at least 2 real verifiable references from 2020-2026, on APA 7 format inclide in text citations:



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Decision-making and critical thinking are skills necessary for the practice of nursing today. Critical thinking allows one to gather and analyze information and data, assess the evidence, identify ethical considerations, and choose the best option for patient care. Decision-making and critical thinking affect advanced nursing practice in several ways. These skills influence organizational performance, healthcare policy, patient advocacy, individual patient outcomes, and population health. It is important to understand their antecedents and consequences because they impact care delivery and influence outcomes. Antecedents are events or items that need to occur or be present before critical thinking and decision-making can happen. The major antecedent to these behaviors is knowledge. To make proper decisions about patient care, nurses need to know about human anatomy and physiology, nursing science, and the details specific to the situation the patient is in.

 Education and life-long learning allow nurses to know more about how to think critically about what is happening with their patients. Additionally, having access to information and evidence are antecedents to decision-making and critical thinking. If nurses have access to evidenced-based clinical guidelines, current research, patient information, and resources, they can use those to help make decisions instead of guessing or assuming (Papathanasiou et al., 20 23). Experience is also an antecedent to critical thinking. The more nurses see a specific condition or need to use a particular skill, the better they will be able to recognize it and react. The process of reflecting on experiences can also help nurses think about what they did previously and how they can improve their future decision-making. Recognizing cognitive biases and knowledge gaps can help nurses make better decisions in the future.

 Ethics, self-awareness, communication, and interprofessional teamwork can also help create an environment that is antecedent to decision-making and critical thinking. If nurses work in an environment where teamwork, communication, ethics, and evidence-based practice are valued, they can be more likely to think critically about decisions at work and on the patient care floor (Cabrera et al., 20 22). There are many positive consequences of decision-making and critical thinking. These consequences include better patient safety, improved quality of care, improved patient outcomes, and increased patient satisfaction. Using critical thinking skills can help nurses catch mistakes and prevent them from affecting patients.

Decision-making allows healthcare professionals to use resources wisely and avoid wasting money on unnecessary equipment or procedures. Critical thinking can help improve quality by thinking of ways to provide better care to patients. Decision-making and critical thinking also help with interprofessional collaboration by allowing nurses to work well with others and solve problems collectively (Alfaro-LeFevre, 20 20). However, there are also negative consequences when nurses do not think critically or make poor decisions. Some of these consequences include medication errors, delayed diagnosis, ineffective treatment, patient harm, and wasted resources. Not using evidence, knowing less about a situation, and not communicating well with others can harm patients and lead them to lose trust in their healthcare providers.

 Other consequences that affect organizations include poor resource allocation, poor performance, and failure to meet quality and safety metrics. These skills are crucial for nurses of all levels to understand and learn. Decision-making and critical thinking can affect healthcare policy as well. Policies are developed to help improve the quality of care, address public health issues, keep patients safe, and provide better access to care. Policy is developed by thinking about research that has been done on specific topics and what the healthcare outcomes are for specific populations. Nurses can use their knowledge and expertise to help develop policy by thinking of what would improve patient care or decrease health disparities. Nurse leaders can also get involved with policy-making to help develop new rules and procedures (Milstead & Short, 2019).

Patient advocacy is another area that can be greatly impacted by decision-making and critical thinking. Advocacy involves thinking of ways to help patients remove barriers they face when receiving care, ensure their rights are respected, and have their voices heard. Patient advocacy can help improve access to care by thinking of ways to provide care to specific populations. By thinking of how to remove barriers to care, nurses can provide individualized care plans that meet patients’ needs.

 Nurses can advocate for their patients by thinking of what they can do to help these patients and improve healthcare outcomes (American Nurses Association [ANA], 20 21). This topic would be incorporated into learning activities related to Domain 1: Knowledge for Nursing Practice, Domain 2: Person-Centered Care, Domain 3: Population Health, Domain 5: Quality and Safety, and Domain 6: Interprofessional Partnerships. Decision-making requires using scientific knowledge and evidence to make patient care decisions which is described in Domain 1. Person-centered care allows nurses to think of how to meet the needs of specific patients which is described in Domain 2. Understanding how social determinants of health affect people can help nurses make informed decisions about their patients which is described in Domain 3. Both decision-making and critical thinking can reduce errors which is described in Domain 5. Interprofessional collaboration allows multiple practitioners to think of a solution to a problem together which would be described in Domain 6 (AACN, 20 21).

In conclusion, decision making and critical thinking are skills imperative to practice at an advanced level and as a leader in nursing and healthcare. Critical thinking and decision-making skills impact patient safety and quality care. The decisions we make also impact healthcare policies and advocating for patients. In order to make proper decisions and think critically, one must have knowledge, experience, access to evidence-based resources, ethical knowledge, and collaboration with other nurses and healthcare professionals. These skills allow for better patient outcomes, organizational excellence, and helps to create more equitable healthcare for everyone. As the field of healthcare evolves, we as advanced practice nurses need to continue to hone our critical-thinking skills to advocate for our patients, help shape healthcare policies and be the change we wish to see that can help others live healthier lives.

References:

American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2021). The essentials: Core competencies for professional nursing education. Author.

Alfaro-LeFevre, R. (2020). Nurse thinker: Clinical judgment, critical thinking, and evidence-based practice (2nd ed.). Nurse Thinker, Inc.

American Nurses Association. (2021). Nursing: Scope and standards of practice (4th ed.). American Nurses Association.

Cabrera, E., Darling, A., & Britt, D. (2022). APRN clinical judgment and assessment skills. StatPearls Publishing.

Milstead, J. A., & Short, N. M. (2019). Health policy and politics: A nurse's guide (6th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Papathanasiou, I. V., Alexiou, E., Katsiroubas, D., Katsirouba, S., & Spourdalakis, G. (2023). Critical thinking and decision-making skills in nursing practice. In Nursing School Current and Helpful Information.