The Continuing Education Unit at the college of Nursing, University of Baghdad, organized an online scientific workshop entitled “Developing Critical Thinking and Analytical Skills,” presented by Dr. Khatam Ghazi Attia with the active participation of third-year students in the pediatric nursing department.
The workshop aimed to improve the quality of nursing education by developing students’ ability to analyze clinical cases, link symptoms to scientific data, and enhance evidence-based decision-making skills. It also aimed to enable them to evaluate health information, distinguish between sound and unsound practices, and develop problem-solving skills in emergency and routine situations while promoting logical and reflective thinking and reflective thinking, identifying errors in nursing assessment, and developing constructive criticism skills within the healthcare team, thereby supporting the link between theory and practical application and commitment to professional ethics.
The workshop saw the presentation of a set of strategic recommendations that emphasized the need to integrate critical thinking as a way of life and a comprehensive academic approach in all disciplines, moving from memorization and rote learning to analysis- and comparison-based learning, while promoting a culture of questioning and open discussion and training participants to formulate in-depth questions that explore causes and alternatives. The recommendations also emphasized the importance of developing evaluation skills to detect biases and logical errors, relying on interactive teaching methods such as case studies, brainstorming, and simulations to connect thinking to real-life situations, as well as encouraging intellectual independence, respecting diversity of opinion, and training facilitators to use modern strategies that measure students’ awareness rather than their ability to memorize, emphasizing that critical thinking is a continuous daily practice that ensures conscious and responsible participation in society.
This workshop is part of the Continuing Education Unit’s activities aimed at enhancing students’ intellectual and professional capacities in order to serve the process of education and scientific research. This event is a true embodiment of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 4 on quality and equitable education and Goal 8 on decent work and economic growth, through the preparation of cadres who with advanced analytical skills that ensure patient safety and improve the efficiency of healthcare and community well-being. It also contributes to achieving the sixteenth goal of justice and strong institutions by instilling the values of constructive criticism, professional responsibility, and transparency in health decision-making, which enhances the building of a sustainable knowledge society that values science and logic and faces challenges with awareness and innovation.
