his discussion includes a special focus to develop assumption awareness and checking.  Assumptions are so embedded within us that it is difficult to uncover our assumptions!  Therefore, we will start with some general thinking puzzles.  Then we will do some lateral thinking puzzles, and then do some nursing thinking puzzles.

As you are doing the thinking puzzles think about your definition of the concepts and what your assumptions aresome people do this by thinking about what they are picturing in their mind or hearing or feeling.  Try this out to become aware of your assumptions.

For example, when the word cup is used in a thinking puzzlewhat does this mean?    Do you picture a coffee cup?  Measuring cup?  Bra cup?  Etc.  By being aware of how you define a concept and the assumptions you have, you can take your critical thinking skills to the next level!

When you get stumped by one of the thinking puzzles, focus on how you define the concept and what are you assuming.  This can help you unveil your assumptions and improve your thinking skills.  Interact with others in the discussion forum to solve the puzzles/cases.  Asking questions to gather data can often help you solve the puzzle/case!  The answers are found after the puzzles.

First, complete the thinking puzzles in Module Two.

Then, select one of the following cases and answer the questions in your Initial Posting.  (Pick one case to address in your posting.)  Interact with others in the course as a team to solve the cases.  A team of nurses can solve the cases much easier than one!  Answers are revealed in the discussion forum after the discussion ends.

Case Study Community Health Nurse:  You are a Community Health Nurse and are making a home visit to a family in a nearby town.  You do not know the family and have never met them before.  The father is not at home when you visit.  However, the mother is home caring for her son, Pedro, who is six-years old and home ill from school.  You assess Pedro and discover bruises on his chest and back.  You ask Pedro how he got the marks on his chest and back and he tells you his father.

1.What should you do?  Include rationales for why you should take this action.

2.What are two assumptions you have related to this case?

3.What questions do you want to ask?

Trauma Nurse Case Study:  While working in the ER, you find out a family traveling in a car crashed, and heard their car landed upside down in a river.  The car sunk to the bottom of the river.  It took one hour for the crash to be found and for rescuers to respond.  Yet they report all the family members are alive and they are being transported to your ER. 

1.How could that be that the family did not drown?

2.What are two assumptions you have related to this case?

3.What questions do you want to ask?

Labor and Delivery Case Study:  You were just told that a woman in the Labor & Delivery unit of the hospital where you work gave birth to two girls at the same hour on the same day, but that they were not twins. 

1.How is that possible?

2.What are two assumptions you have related to this case?

3.What questions do you want to ask?

Answer the discussion questions in an initial posting . Ask one question to your classmate at the end of your discussion

Include at least two scholarly citation/references.  Use APA format