Evaluation of critical thinking in a baccalaureate nursing program

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Professional Development
• Cognitive Skills Assessment

Background:

• Traditional assessment of nursing critical thinking relies on faculty observation and written evaluations.
• There is a growing emphasis on quantitative measurement of nursing students' critical thinking abilities.
• Understanding the progression of critical thinking is vital for curriculum development and evaluating educational outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantitatively compare critical thinking skills and dispositions between sophomore and senior nursing students.
• To identify specific areas of critical thinking development throughout the nursing program.
• To inform nursing education strategies for enhancing critical thinking.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study design was employed.
• The California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST) was used to assess critical thinking skills.
• The California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) was administered to evaluate critical thinking dispositions.

Main Results:

• The CCTST demonstrated a significant increase in critical thinking skills from the sophomore to the senior year.
• Significant differences were observed in overall CCTDI scores between sophomore and senior students.
• Specific dispositional differences included truth-seeking, analyticity, self-confidence, and inquisitiveness.

Conclusions:

• Nursing education demonstrably enhances critical thinking skills and dispositions.
• Targeted interventions may further improve specific dispositional aspects like truth-seeking and inquisitiveness.
• These findings support the use of standardized assessments to measure and improve nursing student critical thinking.