MCHnow: Advancing MCH Leadership Skills

MCH Leadership Competency 4: CRITICAL THINKING

Introduction

Critical Thinking: The Foundation of Evidence-Informed MCH Leadership…

Picture yourself faced with a challenging MCH scenario: rising maternal mortality rates in your community despite increased healthcare access. Where do you begin? What evidence do you trust? How do you separate correlation from causation? This is where critical thinking becomes your most powerful tool – not just for understanding the problem, but for crafting solutions that actually work.

Critical thinking in MCH is like being both a detective and a scientist. It means questioning assumptions, digging deeper than surface-level data, and carefully weighing multiple interpretations of evidence. When an MCH leader employs critical thinking, they don't just ask "What should we do?" but rather "Why is this happening? What evidence supports each possible explanation? What interventions have worked elsewhere and why? What unique factors in our community might influence outcomes?" This methodical, analytical approach transforms gut reactions into evidence-informed decisions and turns promising ideas into effective programs.

Ethical leadership in MCH goes beyond simply adhering to rules or codes of conduct. It requires a deep understanding of the moral principles that underlie our work and the courage to apply those principles in challenging, real-world situations. It means leading with integrity, transparency, and an unwavering commitment to promoting health equity and social justice.

Through MCHnow's Ready-Set-Go approach, you'll develop the strong critical thinking skills that are essential for modern MCH leadership. Our carefully chosen resources will help you master evidence evaluation, decision-making frameworks, and implementation science principles. Whether you're analyzing research, developing programs, or crafting policies, these critical thinking tools will enhance your ability to make informed decisions that positively impact MCH populations.

READY: Understand the Importance of Critical Thinking in MCH

Watch this short video to gain an introduction to the competency.

Read more. The Critical Thinking competency emphasizes the ability to identify issues, frame specific questions, consider multiple perspectives, evaluate information, and develop evidence-informed solutions. This essential skill enables MCH leaders to address complex challenges effectively and make decisions that improve population health outcomes.

For MCH leaders, strong critical thinking skills are necessary for:

• Analyzing complex public health challenges from multiple perspectives
• Evaluating evidence and information sources
• Making evidence-informed decisions
• Understanding and applying implementation science
• Developing effective policies and programs

As MCH leaders, applying critical thinking allows us to:

• Frame complex problems as specific, answerable questions
• Evaluate various sources of evidence, including lived experience
• Consider potential unintended consequences
• Translate evidence into effective practice
• Address gaps where evidence is still emerging

Core knowledge areas include:

• Components of critical thinking (knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation)
• Basic statistics and epidemiology
• Qualitative and quantitative research methods
• Systematic review and meta-analysis
• Evidence-informed decision-making
• Implementation science principles

SET: Expand your Knowledge with Trainings and Resources

Deepen your understanding of Critical Thinking in MCH with these trainings and resources:

• Using Critical Thinking to Advance MCH through Evidence [Learning Module Series]:
  • Understanding the Evidence Base [30 min]: Learn systematic approaches to evaluating evidence quality and applicability in MCH
  • Developing an Action Plan [45 min]: Translate evidence into actionable implementation steps
  • Using Tools to Advance Health Equity [30 min]: Apply critical thinking frameworks to promote health equity
• Critical Thinking for Public Health Practice [60 min online course]: This course, developed by Prepare Iowa, focuses on the six steps of critical thinking and provides review questions to gauge learning comprehension.
• Foundations of Critical Thinking [35 min video]. This seminal training from CityMatCH's CityLeaders Program brings in an expert from the Foundation and Center for Critical Thinking.
• Basic Elements of Critical Thinking [guided learning page]. This just-in-time learning page, developed by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, explores the seven habits of critical thinkers, provides skills essential for critical thinking, and links to short, related learning opportunities.

GO: Apply Your Knowledge with Practical Tools

Use these tools to enhance your critical thinking practice in MCH leadership:

1. SWOT Analysis: Evaluate a situation by considering its Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of a public health issue. 
2. Root Cause Analysis (RCA): A structured process to identify the underlying causes of an adverse event or problem. An instructional handbook is provided by the National Patient Safety Foundation.
3. Fishbone Diagrams: A visual display that allows the organization of information and identification of multiple causes of a problem. Interactive Fishbone Diagram | Learn more about Fishbone Diagramming.
4. "5 Whys" Method: Repeatedly asking "why" to uncover the root cause of a problem by systematically drilling down through layers of contributing factors. An expanded 5-Whys Template is also available from Smartsheet.