Assessment of the needs of student nurses regarding critical thinking in nursing practice

  • Authors

    • Louise Pretoruis University of Namibia
    • Agenes Van Dyk International University of Mangaement
    • Luis Small univerity of Namibia
    • Hans Justus Amukugo University of Namibia
    2016-10-07
    https://doi.org/10.14419/ijans.v5i2.6554
  • Assessment, Needs, Critical Thinking and Nursing Practice.

  • Abstract

    This study involved a quantitative, quasi-experimental and contextual design. The target population for this phase was senior student nurses registered at the University of Namibia, in their fourth year of nursing studies in the training hospitals of Windhoek and Oshakati. A total of 46 fourth-year nursing students, registered at the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences in the Department of Nursing, were included for phase 1 except for the two students who took part in the pilot study. The students were from both campuses, namely the Windhoek and Oshakati campuses, doing the four-year Diploma in Comprehensive Nursing curriculum, which incorporates the principles of critical thinking. An imaginary case scenario was developed for students to analyse and answer some relevant questions to enable the researcher to determine the level of understanding and integration of critical thinking. In this study each student’s answers were deductively analysed by calculating central values, more specifically the mean for each question, to determine their application of critical thinking skills in the management of a nursing problem

    The researcher has, with literature support, arrived at “umbrella†concepts, namely the most important concepts that nurses in Namibia need and without which they cannot practice. These umbrella concepts are to be included in the educational programme.

    Author Biography

    • Hans Justus Amukugo, University of Namibia

      Dr Hans Justus Amukugo holds a PhD in Nursing Science from the University of Namibia.  He is specializing in Nursing science, education and health service management. Currently he is a lecturer, member of Unam postgraduate committee, supervisor for master and PhD students teach research methodology, co- coordinator of undergraduate and postgraduate research activities at the School of nursing and Public health. His research interests are qualitative research, model, and theory and programme development in health perspectives. E – Mail address: hamukugo@unam.na

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  • How to Cite

    Pretoruis, L., Van Dyk, A., Small, L., & Amukugo, H. J. (2016). Assessment of the needs of student nurses regarding critical thinking in nursing practice. International Journal of Advanced Nursing Studies, 5(2), 190-198. https://doi.org/10.14419/ijans.v5i2.6554

    Received date: 2016-08-02

    Accepted date: 2016-09-10

    Published date: 2016-10-07