A protocol for the development of a critical thinking assessment tool for nurses using a Delphi technique

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Assessment
• Clinical Skills Development

Background:

• Increasing patient complexity necessitates advanced nursing critical thinking.
• Early detection of patient deterioration relies on critical thinking skills.
• A validated tool for assessing Australian nurses' critical thinking is currently lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate an assessment tool for measuring nurses' critical thinking ability.
• To provide a standardized method for evaluating critical thinking in Australian Registered Nurses.
• To enhance confidence in the critical thinking proficiency of newly graduated nurses.

Main Methods:

• A modified Delphi study approach was employed.
• Unfolding case scenarios based on national health data were created.
• Expert review, Delphi consensus, and Rasch analysis were used to establish validity and reliability.

Main Results:

• The study successfully developed a context-specific critical thinking assessment tool.
• The tool utilizes case scenarios and multiple-choice questions.
• Validity and reliability were assessed using Rasch analysis.

Conclusions:

• Nurses' critical thinking skills are crucial for patient outcomes and safety.
• The developed tool offers a standardized measure for critical thinking assessment in Australian nurses.
• This resource will bolster confidence in the critical thinking capabilities of graduate nurses.