Setting the stage for critical thinking in clinical nursing education : a grounded theory approach

Critical thinking skills have been identified as important for practicing nurses to acquire. Therefore, nurse educators have a responsibility to improve the critical thinking skills of nursing students. There is limited research related to critical thinking and nursing education especially in the clinical environment. Nurses need finely honed critical thinking skills in order to be safe, competent, and skillful practitioners of their profession.The purpose of this research was to study the way nursing faculty use clinical situations to develop critical thinking in student nurses. The research question was: How do nursing faculty use clinical situations to develop critical thinking in nursing students?In researching this question a grounded theory approach was chosen. The grounded theory approach allows for the development of theory or extension of existing theory which can be used to build on or base future research in nursing education (Chenitz & Swanson, 1986).Data collection was completed using open-ended interviews and participant observation which is consistent with the grounded theory approach. The constant comparative method of data analysis was used to compare and contrast data between and among identified groups.Clinical nursing instructors were asked to participate in the study. The subjects were interviewed and observed teaching in the clinical environment. Confidentiality was guaranteed through coding and destruction of the field notes upon completion of the project. Participation was voluntary and subjects could withdraw at any time from the study.There were no identifiable risks involved in the study. Potential benefits were increased awareness of strategies to develop critical thinking skills and contributions to improve nursing education.Setting the stage for critical thinking in nursing education was identified as the core category. The data supported the development of critical thinking in the clinical environment related to trusting relationships in a risk-free environment. Teaching strategies that contribute to the development of critical thinking were identified. Nursing faculty recognize the importance of critical thinking to nursing and attempt to instill critical thinking in the nursing students.School of NursingThesis (M.S.