Critical thinking: a model.

The emphasis on critical thinking in nursing has increased in response to the rapidly changing health care environment. This emphasis is underscored in nursing education by the National League for Nursing (NLN) accreditation process with the inclusion of a required outcome criterion related to the critical thinking abilities of baccalaureate nursing graduates. This article proposes a model and an accompanying process that can provide direction for nurse educators in the development and evaluation of nursing students' critical thinking abilities.