Engaging students in critical thinking: A student's perspective of family nursing in the intensive care unit

Abstract

The authors of this article propose that nurse educators engage students in ways to ‘think family’ so that family nursing can be incorporated into care with appropriate nursing interventions. While in-depth family-centered care requires advanced post-graduate education, attention to five areas of family needs: information, proximity, assurance, support and comfort,  during undergraduate education will enable students to continue family nursing into their clinical practice and help decrease family anxiety associated with a relative’s illness. Nurse educators have a responsibility to teach in ways that foster curiosity to ‘test’ application of theoretical concepts into clinical practice.