Critical care nursing is an essential component of nursing education. Providing direct care to critically ill patients presents the advanced nursing student with the opportunity to investigate the interrelatedness of multiple clinical findings. The student must use prior knowledge to determine the importance of collected data and, in turn, formulate clinical judgments about each patient’s condition and ongoing care needs. This thesis is a culmination of 4 case studies exemplifying the development of my critical thinking and clinical judgment skills throughout my care of patients with contrasting clinical presentations.