Decision Making Scenarios

Scenario 1:
Jean has a comprehensive exam scheduled Monday that covers more than 1,000
pages of material. She is scheduled to work Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon.
Her employer refused to let her take the weekend off to study. Jean has had very little
time to review, her grades have been very low this semester. If she scores poorly on
this test, Jean will fail out of nursing school. To compound the problem, there is a big
party on Saturday that Jean really wants to attend.

Based on the scenario, identify the problem that would require a decision.
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________________________________________________________________
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Identify solutions:
• ______________________________________________________________
Pro:__________________________________________________________
Con:__________________________________________________________
• ______________________________________________________________
Pro:__________________________________________________________
Con:__________________________________________________________
• ______________________________________________________________
Pro:__________________________________________________________
Con:__________________________________________________________

Identify the outcome you wanted to achieve with the decision you made.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

Place an asterisk (*) beside the selected alternative (solution) that achieves the
desired outcome.

What if Jean’s goals were different? What if the goal were to make money to
pay the rent and buy groceries because her mother lost her job and has been ill
the past three weeks? Would your choice be different? (Page 53)

Taken from: Lipe, S. and Beasley, S. (2004). Critical thinking in nursing: A cognitive skills workbook.
Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Scenario 2:
Linda has just returned to school and has been out of the study habit for 7 years. She
has found it very difficult to get back into the habit of studying. (Page 54) Her time is
further stretched by responsibilities of being a wife and mother of two pre-school aged
children.

Based on the scenario, identify the problem that would require a decision.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Identify solutions:
• ______________________________________________________________
Pro:__________________________________________________________
Con:__________________________________________________________
• ______________________________________________________________
Pro:__________________________________________________________
Con:__________________________________________________________
• ______________________________________________________________
Pro:__________________________________________________________
Con:__________________________________________________________

Identify the outcome you wanted to achieve with the decision you made.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

Place an asterisk (*) beside the selected alternative (solution) that achieves the
desired outcome.

Taken from: Lipe, S. and Beasley, S. (2004). Critical thinking in nursing: A cognitive skills workbook.
Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Scenario 3:
Joel is working as an certified nursing assistant (CNA). He wants to be a nurse but
can’t decide if he should attend nursing school in the fall. He and his roommate have
discussed their bills; he would have little time for working to assist with household
expenses. He is also concerned about having enough time to study and participate in
family events. (Page 54)

Based on the scenario, identify the problem that would require a decision.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Identify solutions:
• ______________________________________________________________
Pro:__________________________________________________________
Con:__________________________________________________________
• ______________________________________________________________
Pro:__________________________________________________________
Con:__________________________________________________________
• ______________________________________________________________
Pro:__________________________________________________________
Con:__________________________________________________________

Identify the outcome you wanted to achieve with the decision you made.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

Place an asterisk (*) beside the selected alternative (solution) that achieves the
desired outcome.

Taken from: Lipe, S. and Beasley, S. (2004). Critical thinking in nursing: A cognitive skills workbook.
Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.