Speaker: Dr. Barbara Lockwood, RN, Associate Professor, Aurora University College of Nursing

 Recent research was conducted to describe from the nurse’s perspective the workplace cultural influences on the quality of critical thinking in medical-surgical nurses. Organizational and unit based management, workplace systems and processes, and workplace relationships, including unit staff nurses, physician and interdepartmental relationships were explored. Twenty RNs from two different medical-surgical units in one acute care hospital were observed while working and were interviewed to determine the quality of the RNs’ critical thinking, the nature of workplace culture, and to identify how the culture influenced the RNs’ quality of critical thinking. The RNs quality of critical thinking was most influenced by what management emphasized and reinforced, sometimes to the detriment of critical thinking. Learn more about management's role in supporting and stifling staff nurse critical thinking.

Objectives:
1. Identify three workplace environmental barriers to the quality of critical thinking in staff nurses.
2. Identify three methods to facilitate the development and use of critical thinking in nurses working within your organization.

This continuing nursing education activity was submitted for approval to the Illinois Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.

Absence of conflict of interest: As required by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Accreditation Program, we would like to make you aware of all the potential conflicts of interests. This educational activity's planners and presenters have indicated they have no bias or conflict of interest.

Successful completion: Criteria for judging successful completion of the webinar are attendance at the entire activity and submission of a completed evaluation tool.