Problem-based case study to enhance critical thinking in student nurses.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Pedagogy
• Healthcare Professional Training

Background:

• Traditional lecture-based methods fail to foster critical thinking in student nurses.
• Problem-based case studies offer a solution to enhance critical thinking skills.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe guidelines for implementing problem-based case studies in clinical settings.
• To support first-year nursing students at Northern Province College of Nursing: Sovenga campus.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative, explorative, descriptive, and contextual research design.
• Phased implementation: program development, student experiences, tutor perceptions, and guideline formulation.
• Data analysis using Tesch's (1990) approach with 69 student nurses and 10 tutors.

Main Results:

• Nine guidelines for implementing problem-based case studies were formulated.
• Student nurses' and tutors' experiences and perceptions were documented.
• Recommendations for developing critical thinking measurement instruments in nursing were made.

Conclusions:

• Problem-based case studies are effective in stimulating critical thinking among student nurses.
• The formulated guidelines provide a framework for successful clinical implementation.
• Further development of assessment tools for critical thinking in nursing is recommended.