Table 3.
Nurse educators’ perceptions of critical thinking
| Variable | Strongly agree N (%) |
Agree N (%) |
Undecided N (%) |
Disagree N (%) |
Strongly disagree N (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CT is discipline specific | 22 (20.8) | 38 (35.8) | 15 (14.2) | 17 (16.0) | 14 (13.2) |
| CT does not involve affective domain of learning | 4 (3.8) | 11 (10.4) | 17 (16.0) | 39 (36.8) | 35 (33.0) |
| CT involves only cognitive clinical learning | 13 (12.3) | 14 (13.2) | 9 (8.5) | 39 (36.8) | 31 (29.2) |
| CT is essential in making clinical judgments | 77 (72.6) | 24 (22.6) | 4 (3.8) | 1 (0.9) | 0 (0.0) |
| CT is needed for daily problem solving | 63 (59.4) | 31 (29.2) | 4 (3.8) | 6 (5.7) | 2 (1.9) |
| CT is needed for content to be learned better | 52 (49.1) | 43 (40.6) | 6 (5.7) | 5 (4.7) | 0 (0.0) |
| CT is needed to transfer knowledge between courses | 43 (40.6) | 51 (48.1) | 9 (8.5) | 2 (1.9) | 1 (0.9) |
| Learning the content is more important than CT | 4 (3.8) | 10 (9.4) | 7 (6.6) | 48 (45.3) | 37 (34.9) |
| Active learning fosters CT | 38 (35.8) | 53 (50.0) | 8 (7.5) | 4 (3.8) | 3 (2.8) |
| No need to spend time on CT | 4 (3.8) | 5 (4.7) | 7 (6.6) | 36 (34.0) | 54 (50.9) |
| CT is learned naturally | 3 (2.8) | 18 (17.0) | 14 (13.2) | 50 (47.2) | 21 (19.8) |
| Educators should incorporate CT in teaching strategies | 61 (57.5) | 36 (34.0) | 4 (3.8) | 2 (1.9) | 3 (2.8) |
| Educators should share teaching philosophies on CT with students | 38 (35.8) | 48 (45.3) | 13 (12.3) | 6 (5.7) | 1 (0.9) |
| CT skills are only useful when dealing with complex nursing problems | 9 (8.5) | 10 (9.4) | 9 (8.5) | 49 (49.2) | 29 (27.4) |
| Nursing students have appropriate characteristics that foster CT | 24 (22.6) | 51 (48.1) | 15 (14.2) | 13 (12.3) | 3 (2.8) |
| Nursing students need to be supported to practice CT skills | 47 (44.3) | 48 (45.3) | 5 (4.7) | 4 (3.8) | 2 (1.9) |
| Nursing students should be taught CT as a course | 29 (27.4) | 48 (45.3) | 15 (14.2) | 11 (10.4) | 3 (2.3) |
| CT is an important component of professional practice | 60 (56.6) | 38 (35.8) | 5 (4.7) | 2 (1.9) | 1 (0.9) |
| CT improves the clinical competence of nurse practitioners | 60 (56.6) | 40 (37.7) | 4 (3.8) | 2 (1.9) | 0 (0.0) |
| CT is vital to evidence-based nursing practice | 54 (50.9) | 43 (40.6) | 7 (6.6) | 1 (0.9) | 1 (0.9) |
Abbreviation: CT, critical thinking.