Four steps to add critical thinking to the mental health nursing toolkit

Critical thinking is a cognitive process that applies logic, reasoning, and analysis to unpack complex problems and synthesize solutions (Papathanasiou et al., 2014; Rowles et al., 2013). The notion of critical thinking is often bandied around but rarely interrogated. It is a concept we may have discussed during our undergraduate study and applied during our clinical placements, revisiting the idea at the postgraduate level, or during leadership or team-building workshops. Critical thinking can sometimes sit on the periphery of practice alongside notions of ‘reflection’ and ‘mindfulness’—we are aware of their importance, but they do not necessarily form a conscious part of our everyday work.Critical thinking is most often viewed through a positive lens—for example, it is through critical thinking that practices, systems or structures can be improved. On the other hand, critical thinking may be discouraged in some workplaces, whether implicitly or explicitly, particularly risk-averse workplaces or areas where managers or employees are not open to honest feedback. This column examines the notion of critical thinking in the practice of mental health nurses. It also discusses how we can develop our skills in critical thinking to improve what we do and the outcomes we achieve.