Fateme Mohammadi1, Marzieh Momennasab2, Parisa Rostambeygi3, Salar Ghaderi4, Somayeh Mousazadeh3. 1. Chronic Diseases(Home Care) Research Center, Department of Nursing, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran. 2. Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. 3. PhCD Candidate of Nursing, RN, Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. 4. Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of conceptual mapping on nursing students' critical thinking. METHODS: The quasi-experimental case-control study was conducted from April 2015 to October 2016 at the University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran, and comprised students of Fatemeh-Zahra School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shiraz. The students were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. Baseline data was collected using a two-part questionnaire, including demographic items and California Critical Thinking Skills Test. Both groups underwent 24 six-hour training sessions 3 times a week. The intervention and control groups were trained by conceptual map and integration methods, respectively. Post-intervention data was collected using the same questionnaire and was analysed using SPSS 13. RESULTS: Of the 81 subjects, 41(50.6%) were in the intervention group and 40(49.4%) in the control group. The mean age was 25.12}3.71 years in the intervention group and 25.5}4.10 years in the control group (p>0.05). At baseline, there was no significant difference between the mean critical thinking scores of the two groups (p=0.781). Postintervention values increased in both groups, but the mean critical score was significantly higher in the intervention group (p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Concept mapping was found to be an effective approach for improving students' critical thinking skills.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of conceptual mapping on nursing students' critical thinking. METHODS: The quasi-experimental case-control study was conducted from April 2015 to October 2016 at the University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran, and comprised students of Fatemeh-Zahra School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shiraz. The students were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. Baseline data was collected using a two-part questionnaire, including demographic items and California Critical Thinking Skills Test. Both groups underwent 24 six-hour training sessions 3 times a week. The intervention and control groups were trained by conceptual map and integration methods, respectively. Post-intervention data was collected using the same questionnaire and was analysed using SPSS 13. RESULTS: Of the 81 subjects, 41(50.6%) were in the intervention group and 40(49.4%) in the control group. The mean age was 25.12}3.71 years in the intervention group and 25.5}4.10 years in the control group (p>0.05). At baseline, there was no significant difference between the mean critical thinking scores of the two groups (p=0.781). Postintervention values increased in both groups, but the mean critical score was significantly higher in the intervention group (p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Concept mapping was found to be an effective approach for improving students' critical thinking skills.