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Becoming competent with the ‘skills of nursing’ gives a student nurse a strong sense of self-efficacy and is foundational to the development of the ‘thinking of nursing’ and critical thinking. Such a qualitative shift towards critical thinking involves a student approach to learning that is often referred to as deep, as opposed to surface. Deep approaches result in a high level of engagement with the meaning or significance of the information, and an ability to apply the information in new situations. Although registered nurses engage in silent dialogue about specific clinical situations the critical thinking is indiscernible to the student nurse. It is important that the latter see evidence of critical thinking in the health professionals around them if they are to attempt to develop critical thinking for themselves. Ultimately, student motivation to approach learning using deep strategies is dependant on their perception of its necessity …