Survey Of Critical Thinking Disposition And Affected Factors Of Nursing Postgraduates From Some Universities In China

Objective: To study the current state of critical thinking and it's affected factors of nursing graduate students in China, so as to find the education strategies of developing their ability of critical thinking; To provide educators references of optimizing nursing education in master degree and it's further research, through comparative study of critical thinking of different-grade nursing students; Comparing the influences of work experience of those who had on their critical thinking disposition, to provide colleges or universities and their tutors foundation of critical thinking cultivating on master of nursing.Methods: On a cross-sectional study, 246 masters of nursing in 19 colleges or universities chosen at random were investigated, using Critical thinking disposition Inventory Chinese Version (CTDI-CV). All data were analyzed with SPSS 13.0. The statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, t test, analysis of variance, Spearman correlation analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis.Results: (1) The average CTDI-CV score of 246 masters of nursing is 291.01; among the subscales, scores of five ones were all higher than 40 points, except truth-seeking and systematicity (lower than 40 points). Their critical thinking was different according to reading or not, paying attention to outsides or not, participating activities usually or not, asking and thinking actively or not in clinical practice, and different attitudes toward the major and taking the postgraduate's course.(2) There is a statistically significant difference in critical thinking disposition score by academic year; among the subscales,open-mindedness, systematicity, self-confidence, and inquisitiveness also show a statistically significant difference by academic year; and the second grade's scores were lower than the first and the third.(3) Correlative analysis showed that there was a positive correlation between working hours of those who had worked and the total score of CTDI-CV(P<0.05), especially those embarking on nursing education. However, there is no obvious correlation with working hours on clinical or management.Conclusion: (1) Nursing graduate students in China has a generally positive critical thinking tendency, especially in inquisitiveness and analyticity, but truth-seeking and systematicity need to be improved.(2) The factors which influence critical thinking disposition of nursing graduate students are as follows: reading custom, the extent of concentration on and participation in the outside, the clinical practice experience, their attitude to the major and taking the postgraduate's course.(3) Critical thinking disposition of nursing graduate students in the second grade is lower than the first and the third, so it is necessary to strengthen further research and education practice in post-graduate nursing education.(4) There is a statistically significant improvement in critical thinking disposition score of those who had worked by their working hours increasing, especially those embarking on nursing education.