Question

question 8 (mandatory) (10 points)
thinking about your future career and working in the world of healthcare, describe a situation in which both critical and creative thinking would help you solve a problem. in one well written paragraph, clearly explain how each one of these two types of thinking would be helpful in the situation.

question 9 (mandatory) (10 points)
there are tasks that require you to examine your thoughts and your life. for example, writing a resume or posting a social media profile both require some reflection. describe a recent event, task, or experience that caused you to reflect on your life. after you describe the event, clearly explain what you discovered about yourself as a result in one well written paragraph.

question 10 (mandatory) (5 points)
in a detailed and specific complete sentence, describe as specifically as possible an important longer - term goal that you want to achieve. your goal can be academic, professional, or personal.

Explanation:

Question 8

In a healthcare career, say as a nurse, when a patient has an unusual set of symptoms that don't match standard diagnoses (e.g., a mix of fatigue, unusual rashes, and joint pain not fitting known autoimmune or infectious disease patterns), critical thinking helps analyze the symptoms' details, check medical history, and rule out common causes (like reviewing lab results, patient's lifestyle, and prior illnesses). Creative thinking then comes into play to consider novel possibilities, such as a rare disease combination or a new environmental trigger, and brainstorm alternative treatment or diagnostic approaches (like suggesting a specialized test or a holistic care plan that combines traditional and complementary therapies) to address the problem when standard methods fall short.

Recently, I took on a group project in a college course where I was assigned a leadership role, but the team struggled with communication and task distribution. Reflecting on this, I discovered that I tend to be overly accommodating, often agreeing to others’ ideas without voicing my concerns, which led to unclear roles and missed deadlines. I also realized I lack assertiveness in delegating tasks, as I worried about seeming controlling, but this caused inefficiencies. This reflection showed me the need to balance empathy with clear communication and assertive leadership to ensure team success in future projects.

An important long - term goal I want to achieve is to earn a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree within the next five years, which will allow me to advance my nursing career, specialize in pediatric oncology nursing, and contribute to developing evidence - based care protocols to improve the quality of life for children with cancer.

Answer:

In a healthcare career as a nurse, when a patient presents with an unusual combination of symptoms (e.g., fatigue, atypical rashes, and joint pain) that do not align with standard diagnoses, critical thinking helps analyze symptom details, review medical history, and rule out common causes (e.g., by examining lab results, lifestyle, and prior illnesses). Creative thinking, meanwhile, enables considering novel possibilities (e.g., a rare disease combination or environmental trigger) and brainstorming alternative diagnostic/treatment approaches (e.g., specialized testing or a holistic care plan) to solve the problem when traditional methods fail.

Question 9