The need for critical thinking in nursing has been accentuated in response to the rapidly changing health care environment. Nurses must think critically to provide effective care whilst coping with the expansion in role associated with the complexities of current health care systems. The study aimed at assessing second year nursing students' dispositions toward critical thinking, assessing second year nursing students' skills of critical thinking, and investigating the relationship between second year nursing students' dispositions and skills of critical thinking. The study sample was all second year nursing students in academic year 2010- 2011 (172 students). Two different tools were used for data collection; California critical thinking dispositions inventory scale (CCTDI) and critical thinking skills questionnaire. The result showed that, the second year nursing students showed positive dispositions toward critical thinking (312.86 ± 29.73), students had high level of critical thinking skills (282.61 ± 29.69), There was no significance difference between students' critical thinking dispositions and critical thinking skills in relation to their educational qualification, while there was highly statistical significant correlation between students' critical thinking dispositions and critical thinking skills. The study recommended; integration of critical thinking in nursing curriculum through focusing not only on course structure but also course assignments, conducting workshops for teaching staff and students about critical thinking skills. |
