Critical Thinking Skills in Home Care: Quality, Safety, and Care

1. Critical Thinking: What is it and Why is it Important to Me in Home Care?

This chapter provides an introduction to critical thinking as well as an overview of current thought and research on the topic. A practical definition adapted to home care will be presented. The creation of a personal definition of critical thinking and how it applies to practice in home care will be discussed. A correlation with the use of critical thinking and enhanced care delivery and patient safety will also be made.

2. Critical Thinking and Clinical Decision-Making Skills in Home Care

This chapter incorporates case scenarios with an interview of a home care nurse to demonstrate the application of critical thinking in planning a home care provider’s day, plan of care development, care delivery and patient and family education. One may become more effective in daily practice by utilizing the strategies discussed in this section.

3. Why is Critical Thinking Important in my Communication with Members of the Home Care Team?

Clear communication is critical to safety and quality in home care. Whether that communication is between patients or families and clinicians, within the home care team or with primary care providers, clinicians can improve their communication skills with the use of critical thinking. Scenarios in this chapter will provide experiences with critical thinking in communication skills.

4. What Behaviors Linked to Critical Thinking Contribute to Quality Care and Patient Safety?

This chapter includes a discussion of the behaviors of critical thinkers and how those behaviors contribute to the planning and delivery of quality home care while promoting patient safety. These behaviors can have career implications as well as they align with state and professional scopes of practice. Developing a plan for the continuous inclusion of critical thinking in personal practice will also be discussed in this chapter.