Many of you know about Dysphagia Café, a wonderful resource for SLPs. With permission, the attached link will take you to an article just posted there by Ed Byce, M.Ed. CCC-SLP and Angela Van Sickle, PhD, CCC-SLP on critical thinking. Such foundational information to put our knowledge into action as we problem-solve patients across the age span and co-morbidities. Filled with clinical references, it reinforces the importance of being lifelong learners and is a must read.

A quote from their conclusions:
The good news is that the progress of gaining knowledge can be measured incrementally, one bit of information at a time. Now the proverbial ball is in your court. Take some time to set goals for learning. Will it be one article a week? Two per month? Will it be starting a journal club to review the information with colleagues? Perhaps it will be developing a robust data collection system? There are many possibilities, but it is worth the journey because patients are counting on you! 

 I think it’s so easy to look for a cookbook or an algorithm, and it gives us a sense of security. It is perhaps a false sense of security, given our complex patients,  each of whom is unique in terms of history, co-morbidities and clinical progression. Each needs a unique algorithm. As the authors so eloquently explain, problem-solving always requires a deeper dive, filled with knowledge but also with questions that help us complete our differential. This article really should be a must read for graduate students,  to reinforce that living in  the “gray zone”,  as  like to call it,  i.e., stepping back and pausing, not expecting yourself to have all the answers or a quick answer,  is ok.  And it is not only ok, but also essential. It underpins critical reflective thinking,  and best supports effective patient care, no matter what the age or co-morbidities.

Building a Knowledge Base to Improve Critical Thinking Skills – Dysphagia Cafe