Problem-Solving and Communication Skills of Undergraduate Nursing Students

Abstract

Background: Problem-solving and effective communication are essential skills for daily nursing duties. Despite several studies highlighting those concepts, few examined the relationship between these concepts among nursing students. This study aimed to investigate undergraduate nursing students' problem-solving and communication skills. Methods: A cross-sectional correlational design was used. A sizeable convenient sample of 489 undergraduate nursing students was recruited from six nursing schools in Jordan. Data were collected using an online self-administered survey. The Arabic version of the Problem-Solving Inventory and a translated version of the Communication Skills Attitude Scale were used. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the data. Results: The sample included 64.4% females. The mean total score of the problem-solving scale was 96.63 (SD=16.99). Gender, considering self as an initiative person, and negative attitude toward communication were significant negative predictors, while positive attitude toward communication was a positive predictor of nursing students' problem-solving skills. Implications: Educational programs that improve nursing students' attitudes toward communication and mental health courses that focus on positive personality traits are needed to improve nursing students' problem-solving skills. Conclusion: The results indicated a moderate level of problem-solving skills, a high level of positive attitudes toward communication skills, and a low level of negative attitudes toward communication skills among undergraduate nursing students.