Interest in developing critical thinking skills in nursing students has grown in proportion to the demand for thoughtful, capable nursing professionals in healthcare. The National League for Nursing has required schools of nursing to combine teaching styles and course content to develop critical thinking, decision making, and independent judgement. Limited research has been done regarding the relationship of critical thinking ability to clinical decision-making. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between these two variables, using a sample of senior baccalaureate students in four schools of nursing.Two research questions were addressed: What is the relationship between critical thinking and clinical decision-making of senior baccalaureate nursing students? and, what is the relationship between selected demographic variables and critical thinking and clinical decision-making in senior baccalaureate nursing students?McPeck's (1981, 1990) critical thinking theory, which guided the study, emphasizes consideration of multiple factors in reaching a decision, toleration of differing conclusions, and the importance of teaching and evaluating critical thinking within the context of a discipline. Critical thinking was measured by the California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST, Facione, 1993), a standardized, 34-item, multiple choice test which targets critical thinking skills. Test items are designed to be discipline-neutral and jargon-free, and have a Kuder-Richardson internal reliability coefficient of .70. Judgement in making clinical decisions was measured by the Nursing Performance Simulation Instrument (NPSI, Gover, 1970), which is composed of four simulations that depict typical nursing situations and test problem-solving proficiency. Six-month test-retest reliability of the NPSI was found to be r=.63. Demographic information on age, gender, GPA, number of completed college credit hours, healthcare work experience, healthcare licensure was collected from subjects.The sample included senior baccalaureate nursing students from four universities (N=88). Nursing faculty at each site was contacted before testing for approval to administer the exam to students. Informed consent was obtained from each subject, and students were able to withdraw from the study at any time. Verbal instructions were given to subjects, and confidentiality was insured by the use of a number identifier on each test. The instruments were administered by, and remained in, the possession of the researcher. Results obtained were reported to test sites as group data only. No risks or benefits were identified in participation in the study.Data analysis was done by a combination of methods, using Pearson product-moment analysis, t-test procedures, and canonical correlation. Results indicated that no relationship existed between critical thinking and clinical decision-making, as measured by the CCTST and the NPSI. The only statistically significant relationship was a weak positive correlation between age and performance on the NPSI. Canonical correlation analysis indicated the older subjects, with a lower GPA and, to a lesser extent, fewer credit hours tended to score higher on the NPSI and lower on the CCTST.The study was significant, in that the results will broaden the knowledge of the relationship between critical thinking and clinical decision-making in nursing. / School of Nursing

The increasing complexity of today's nursing coupled with the growing need for higher numbers of expertly trained nursing staff requires faculty members who are prepared to handle this challenge. Mentoring has been noted as a successful tool for advancing careers, fulfilling role expectations, and providing resources for guidance. With a nursing shortage threatening and a bulge in the population of baby boomers beginning to retire, nurses are in high demand. The purpose of this study was to examine the concept of mentoring in nursing, determine if nursing faculty have been mentored and to ascertain the characteristics of mentoring reported by nursing faculty.The population for the study was nursing faculty from three mid-western schools of nursing. A convenience sample of all nursing faculty who agreed to participate was used. The participants were given a demographic tool and Darling's Measuring Mentoring Potential (MMP) Scale to complete. The MMP consisted of fourteen items that described the most significant characteristics of mentors.The pool consisted of 52 faculty with a response rate of 84.6% (n=44). All of the faculty that completed the questionnaire were mentored. The majority of respondents (n=43) were female ranging in age from 40-59 (84.1%). Fifty percent were Master's prepared nurses and 41% held doctoral degrees. The respondents reported the three highest characteristics of mentoring as Model, Envisioner, and Energizer which is consistent with Darling's research as denoting a significant mentoring relationship.The findings revealed that nursing faculty have been mentored and that these mentoring relationships were significant as defined by Darling. Due to proposedupcoming shortages in nursing staff and nursing faculty, this study was significant to provide data about the mentoring relationship. Nurse administrators can use information about mentoring to structure formal mentoring programs to facilitate transition into faculty roles. The implication of this study is that mentoring can be used to promote growth in new faculty members and provide schools of nursing with adequately prepared new faculty as more experienced professors retire. / School of Nursing

No description available.

M.Cur. / Various internal and external factors exist which have an influence on effective in-house training. Nurses' perceptions of in-house training is important. These perceptions can be positive of negative and can consequently be regarded as facilitating aspects or obstacles. Nurses' internal environmental needs (physical, psychological and religious) should be addressed in the planning and execution of an in-house training program. It is also the responsibility of the education accompainent to create an external environment (physical, psychological and social) that improves education. In this study guidelines for facilitating effective in-house training was explained, after the nurses' perceptions of in-house training was explored and explained and related to literature control. The most common findings regarding perceptions is that facilitating aspects exist which have a positive influence on in-house training as well as obstacles which are negative. Methods for the meaningful presentation of in-house training was also suggested. Recommendations for further research regarding nursing practice, education and research was also made.

M.Cur

A national resolution to alter the educational and practice requirements for nurses by 1985 has been adopted in Oregon. It has been theorized that how nurses organize their multiple roles and the degrees of role deprivation they experience will affect their views toward professional issues. Prior research suggests there be a relationship between certain demographic variables and nurses' role organization and role deprivation. The study sought to establish the relationship of selected demographic variables and the variables of type of role organization and deprivation to nurses' views of four facets of the 1985 Resolution. The intent was to examine the efficacy of a conceptual model of role organization and deprivation in distinguishing and explaining nurses' views toward the resolution. As a further research contribution to nurse role theory development, the effects of nursing education preparation and length of work experience on the variables of role organization type and role deprivation were examined. The data were obtained by mailed questionnaire using 247 nurses randomly selected in Oregon. Instrumentation included a demographics sheet, a role organization tool, and a questionnaire on the resolution. The data were analyzed using Chi-square crosstabulations and Factorial ANOVA. Oregon nurses were found to be equally divided in their views on two levels of nursing practice and a bachelor's requirement for entry into professional practice. The majority supported inclusion of a protective clause in the resolution for currently licensed nurses and development of a nurse career ladder. The relationship of selected demographic variables to nurses' views on the resolution were examined and established. Significant differences were found among nurses when type of .basic nursing education program and level of nursing education achieved were considered. Baccalaureate nurses more frequently supported two levels of practice and a bachelor's requirement than did either associate degree or diploma nurses. They were found to differ significantly from associate degree and diploma nurses in their degree of opposition to a protective clause in the resolution. Significant differences in views on all resolution items were found when advanced nursing education preparation was considered. As the level of nursing preparation beyond the basic program increased, the degree of support for the two levels of practice and bachelor's requirement increased and the greater the opposition expressed to both the protective clause and the career ladder. Subjects differed significantly in their views when type of role organization and role deprivation were examined. Nurses with high bureaucratic-high professional allegiances and nurses with low bureaucratic-high professional allegiances were more supportive of the resolution than were nurses with either high bureaucratic-low professionals allegiances or low bureaucratic-low professional allegiances. Nurses with a high degree of role deprivation were significantly more supportive of the resolution than were nurses with low role deprivation. The main and interaction effects of type of nursing preparation and length of work experience on the degrees of professional allegiance, bureaucratic allegiance, and role deprivation revealed that bureaucratic allegiance increases with work experience. No effect of the two variables on degree of role deprivation was found. Type of nursing program and length of work experience were found to interact and significantly affect the degree of professional allegiance. As length of work experience increased for associate degree and baccalaureate nurses, professional allegiance declined. Allegiance to professional ideals was found to increase with length of work experience for diploma nurses. The relationship of demographic and role organization variables to nurses• views on selected issues was established in the study. Role organization type, role deprivation, type of nursing preparation, and extent of nursing education are associated with nurses views toward the resolution.

Includes bibliographical references.

The purpose of the study was to determine whether the motivational factors, vocational personalities, barriers to enrollment, and enabling factors of the reentry women nursing majors were different from those of women nursing majors of traditional college age. Participants were female nursing majors from all four grade levels of a baccalaureate program at one midwestern university.The Chain-of-Response Model (Cross, 1981) was adapted as a conceptual framework. The sample consisted of 46 reentry women and 73 traditional college age women nursing majors. The Education Participation Scale (Boshier, 1982) and The Vocational Preference Inventory (Holland, 1985) were utilized. Barriers to Enrollment and Enabling Factors questionnaires were compiled by the researcher after a review of the literature and interviews with ten reentry and ten traditional age women nursing majors. The qualitative data were used to strengthen the study by triangulation with the quantitative data.FINDINGS1. The reentry women differed from the traditional age women in terms of motivational factors. The reentry women were found to be less motivated by social contact and more motivated by social stimulation than the traditional age women nursing majors.2. Differences in vocational personality were found on two scales of The Vocational Preference Inventory (Holland, 1985): (a) The reentry women scored higher on Acquiescence, and (b) The traditional age women scored higher on Self-Control. Both groups scored highest on the Social Scale.3. Barriers to enrollment that were of greater importance to the reentry women included: cost of college, other responsibilities, fear of failure, arranging for child care, attitudes towardeducation by family of origin and significant others. Barriers that were of greater importance to the traditional age women included: leaving home and friends and being tired of attendingschool.4. Enabling factors that were of greater importance to the reentry women included: encouragement from husbands and college personnel, change in responsibilities at home, change in priorities, making a decision on a career in nursing, and deciding they could get a degree in nursing if they really tried. The support of significant others was an enabling factor of greater importance to the traditional age women.

This study was designed to determine attitudes of administrators, faculty, and students toward educational mobility for registered nurses. A second purpose was to determine if curriculum designs acknowledge previous learning for advanced placement in RN/BSN programs; and to determine if perceived needs of learners were met.Following the review of selected literature a questionnaire was designed to collect data from 45 RN/BSN programs accredited by the National League for Nursing in Indiana and the four contiguous states. A total of 214 responses from administrators, faculty, and students were obtained. Factor analysis of the instrument determined the five factors of curriculum, program need, learning, previous experience and function/role. The mean, standard deviation, and oneway analysis of variance was determined for the total and the five sub-scores individual and by group from the five participating states. Six null hypotheses were tested using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA).Results based on the ANOVA, mean, and standard deviations of total group score indicated no significant difference in attitudes of administrators, faculty, and students involved in RN/BSN programs toward acknowledgment of previous learning. Total group sub-scores for the five factors were found to be different for curriculum and function/role.The ANOVA of each state by sub-scores indicated differences for Indiana as function/role, Illinois Michigan as curriculum, and Ohio as previous experience/practice.A variety of mobility programs have emerged over the past fifteen years, however administrators, faculty, and students differ in the perception of acknowledgment of previous learning, curriculum designs, and function/role for RN/BSN education.Major conclusions were: 1) There is agreement among administrators, faculty, and students for program need but the degree of flexibility in design does not meet learner need and the recognition of previous learning; 2) students do not agree with administrators and faculty in the perception of function/role; and 3) administrators and faculty do not agree with students in perceptions of curricular needs.

The study was designed to identify the-relationship between job satisfaction levels as perceived by staff nurses and levels of motivation for participation in staff development programs. A second purpose was to examine the relationship between the type of educational preparation, area of nursing practice, number of children under twelve years of age living at home, single parent status, size of hospital and years of service of staff nurses with levels of motivation for participation in staff development programs and with job satisfaction. The motivational theories of Maslow and Herzberg were used as the theoretical basis for the study.The Job Descriptive Index and a questionnaire were distributed to randomly selected staff nurses employed in the seventeen non-federal hospitals of the Eastern Indiana District of Hospital Nursing Service Administrators. Usable instruments were returned by 186 staff nurses for an eighty-two percent response rate. Thirteen null hypotheses were tested, five using the Pearson product-moment (r) correlation and eight using a one-way analysis of variance (F Statistic).The first purpose of the study, to examine the relationship between job satisfaction levels and levels of motivation for participation in staff development programs, revealed that job satisfaction was not found to be correlated significantly with motivation for participation in staff development programs. The small correlation found to exist was negative.The findings relative to the second study purpose, to examine the relationship between single parent status, number of children under twelve years of age living at home, length of employment as a staff nurse, level of educational preparation, size of hospital and area of nursing practice, produced only one significant finding. Single parent status and job satisfaction were found to be positively related at the .05 level of significance.The major conclusion was that job satisfaction was not a motivator for participation in staff development programs in the sample of staff nurses in the study.