THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CRITICAL THINKING AND CONFIDENCE IN DECISION-MAKING

Abstract

Nurses make decisions every day while planning and delivering care within their scope of practice. Effective and appropriate decision-making requires the acquisition and utilisation of pertinent data as well as higher order thinking skills such as decisionmaking and critical thinking.

Research aims: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between critical thinking and confidence in decision-making for new graduate nurses.

Methods: Critical thinking scores for two groups of new graduate nurses were correlated to confidence in decision-making scores for the same nurses.

Major findings: The study had some surprising and interesting findings. Contrary to prior studies that have found either no relationship or a positive correlation between critical thinking and confidence in decision-making, this study found a negative correlation between these two variables. These findings have implications both for tertiary nursing education and continuing clinical education.

Conclusion: New graduate nurses who have higher critical thinking scores and seem more hesitant in decisionmaking should be encouraged in their questioning attitude. There is a need for professional development courses that raise awareness of the importance of a nursing culture that encourages a more open questioning attitude to decision-making.