Correlation between critical thinking ability and self-efficiency in clinical nurses

Objective To investigate the status of critical thinking ability in clinical nurses,to find the correlation between critical thinking ability and self-efficiency,and to provide scientific evidence for improvement in nursing management.Methods A total of 425 clinical nurses were selected by convenient sampling from December 2010 to March 2011.They were from two hospitals affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University(SJTU) and School of Continuing Education of SJTU.The Chinese Version of Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory(CTDI-CV) and General Self-Efficacy Scale were used for survey.Results The nurses′ overall average score of critical thinking was higher than 280 points,indicating a positive disposition toward critical thinking.Their analyticity,inquisitiveness,maturity and open-mindedness showed positive critical thinking dispositions(40 points).The total CTDI-CV scores and seven subscale scores differed among nurses with different ages,educational backgrounds and duties.Whether they like nursing job,whether they know about the critical thinking,and whether they regularly read medical or nursing journals had significant influences on the critical thinking ability(P0.05).Their mean score of general self-efficacy was 2.60±0.44.There was positive correlation between the critical thinking ability and self-efficiency(r=0.528,P0.01).Conclusion In order to serve the patients better,the nursing managers should develop critical thinking ability of nurses by encouraging them to receive continuing education,improving their sense of professional identity,cultivating their habit of reading medical or nursing journals,enhancing the publicity of critical thinking,and impoving their general self-efficiency.