| Learning Objective #1: Describe the change in critical thinking skills at three points in time during the nursing program | |||
| Learning Objective #2: Interpret the relationship between GPA and critical thinking scores |
The purpose of this longitudinal study was to assess the development of critical thinking over time of four cohorts of baccalaureate nursing students from a medium-sized university in the south. The research questions were 1) What is the change in student critical thinking skills when measured at entry into the nursing major, at midpoint in nursing, and at exit from the program? 2) What is the correlation between grade point average at graduation and scores on the final critical thinking outcome exam. The methodology was a time series design that included three different tests, each administered at a specific point in time. The sample included four cohorts of baccalaureate nursing students, for a total of 90 students. Students signed a voluntary consent form if they chose to participate. The instruments were a series of three tests developed by the Arnett corporation, each containing 30 open-ended questions based on nursing situations. Questions could have multiple correct answers, thus maximizing a student’s ability to think critically and to prioritize. Tests were scored by trained researchers at the Arnett Corporation, with Inter-rater reliability recorded as 0.95. Individual scores and cohort summaries were returned to the university for aggregate data analysis. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlations, and ANOVA. Findings revealed that critical thinking scores decreased as students proceeded through the program. Although a surprising and unanticipated finding, possible explanations included the open-ended test question format, no course credit being given for participation. and competition from other mandatory testing required by the college of nursing.
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