Review of critical thinking in professional practice: Application in making decisions to either measure or estimate resting metabolic rate

Critical thinking is necessary to implement evidence-based nutrition practice guidelines. This article examines an application of critical thinking in the dietetics profession based on the summary of critical thinking as defined and evaluated in nursing and other allied health professions. Critical thinking is used in implementing guidelines for dietetic practice and identifying the inferred relationship between resting metabolic rate measurement and patient outcomes. Results show that participants in a dietetics practice-based research network made decisions at the patient level based on their knowledge of accuracy, patient preference, and the belief that a change in accuracy would lead to change in patient outcomes. Participation also identified barriers to implementation.