Critical Thinking in Clinical Practice: Improving the Quality of Judgments and Decisions Book

Preface ix

Part I: Lay of the Land

1 The Need for Critical Thinking in Clinical Practice 3

2 Sources of Influence on Clinical Decisions 29

3 R easons and Reasoning: The Heart of Making Decisions 57

4 Different Views of Knowledge and How to Get It: Exploring Your Personal Epistemology 87

Part II: Common Sources of Error

5 The Influence of Language and Persuasion Strategies 131

6 Formal and Informal Fallacies: Mistakes in Thinking and How to Avoid Them 155

7 Classification, Authority, and Focusing on Pathology 181

Part III: Decision Aids

8 Content and Procedural Knowledge 209

9 Taking Advantage of Research on Judgment, Problem Solving, and Decision Making 239

10 Evidence-Based Practice: A Philosophy and Process for Making Informed Decisions 275

11 Posing Questions and Searching for Answers 297

12 Critical Appraisal of Practice- and Policy-Related Research: The Need for Skepticism 335

Part IV: Applying Critical Thinking Skills to Clinical Decisions 13 Making Decisions About Data Collection 377

14 Discovering Causes of Clients’ Problems: Common Biases 409

15 Making Predictions: Improving the Odds 453

16 Enhancing the Quality of Case Conferences, Team Meetings, and Organizational Culture 481

Part V: The Future

17 Overcoming Personal Obstacles to Critical Thinking 509

18 Maintaining Critical Thinking Skills 533

References 549

About the Author 623

Author Index 625

Subject Index 641