Effects of a Critical Thinking Course for Korean Nurses in RN-BSN Program

Abstract

Critical thinking is essential to implementing the nursing process requiring timely decision making. The study examined the effects of a critical thinking course for nurses in the RN-BSN program. The study used a pre- and post-test design with a control group. The experimental group was a convenience sample of 24 working nurses attending a health college. The control group was 24 fellow nurses. The nursing process-based critical thinking course was provided to the experimental group two and half hours a week for 8 weeks. Teaching methods included lectures followed by a summary and quiz, brainstorming and action learning, and lecturer feedback. A pamphlet about views of professional occupation was provided to the control group. The data were collected using self-report questionnaires and analyzed to examine differences in the test scores before and after the intervention. The scores of critical thinking disposition, problem-solving process, and clinical competence increased significantly in the experimental group but did not in the control group. The difference between the two groups was also statistically significant in critical thinking disposition, problem-solving process, and clinical competence. It is necessary that a robust educational program or training to enhance critical thinking ability of nurses are provided in clinical settings and that nurses keep going on thinking critically in their practice.