Abstract:

The aim of this study was to assessing the levels of critical thinking and factors affecting on critical thinking skills of nursing students. This descriptive-longitudinal study was realized on a total of 89 nursing students at a Health School in the West of Turkey between on May 2011- 2015. For data collection, "Socio-demographic Information Form" and "Evaluation of Factors Affecting Critical Thinking Form" that were developed based on the literature and "California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory Questionnaire" were used. Mean critical thinking scores of students in their first and fourth year were found to be 213.24±23.73 and 215.96 ± 23.70, respectively. The levels of critical thinking were low and no statistically significant difference was found between the levels in the first and fourth year (p=0.276, p>0.05). The most important factors affecting critical thinking skills in student’s first and fourth year were insufficient length of clinical practice, not making the conference in the clinics and hospital staff not showing respect to students. Forming small student groups during clinical education and choose the guiding and discus method by instructors can be helped to solve this problem.

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