So What???

One of my strategies for stimulating critical thinking is the relentless use of two questions: “So what?” and, “Why do you care?” These two are closely followed by a third: “Why?” They also serve as a classroom assessment to see that the students are actually with me during discussion.  

In teaching nursing, I am often explaining a particular clinical finding and trying to help students link it to the underlying physiologic process or pathology. I find it is not the questions alone, but rather my almost obnoxious pursuit using these questions that pushes the student to connect the dots. Often, the final answer will be almost desperately …”because if I don’t, the patient could die!”

Yes! NOW you’ve got it!