Evaluation of critical thinking outcomes of a BSN program.
Following a curriculum revision, which emphasized critical thinking, a school of nursing selected the California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST) as a standardized outcomes measure for its bachelor's of science in nursing (BSN) program. Students in three tracks of the program were administered the CCTST on entry into the nursing curriculum and again on exit. Paired t tests for dependent samples were used to analyze pretest-posttest differences of all students (N = 136) in the program. Results for students in each of the three tracks demonstrated significantly improved (P < or = .05) CCTST scores on all subscales and total scores, with one exception. RN to BSN students' scores on the Analysis subscale approached but did not reach significance (P = .058). Implications for evaluation are discussed.
Creighton University School of Nursing, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.
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Spelic
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Parsons
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Hercinger
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Andrews
J
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Parks
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Norris
D000328:Adult; D003479:Curriculum / Q000592:standards*; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000592:standards*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017145:Models, Educational; D015402:Nursing Education Research / Q000379:methods*; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D013850:Thinking; D013997:Time Factors