Relationship Between Clinical Learning Environment and Students’ Critical Thinking Skills

Abstract

Students in learning environment learn how to apply knowledge, skills, communication and professionalization. So the objective of clinical learning is to improve students' professional critical thinking and decision-making skills and increase their self-confidence. Aim: the study aims to determine the Relationship between clinical learning environment and students’ critical thinking skills. Research design: a correlational descriptive design used to conduct this study. Setting: the study conducted in faculty of nursing South Valley University. Subject: random sample from 2nd, 3rd, and 4th years’ students to carry out the study total sample 384 students. Tools: three tools were used, 1st: personal data and a question, does the clinical learning environment enhances your critical thinking skills? 2nd: Clinical Learning Environment Inventory and 3rd: California Critical Thinking Skills Test. Results: the present study findings that there was satisfactory students’ result 75% of clinical learning environment the mean and standard deviation 101.14±11.82. Satisfactory 91.7% critical thinking skills the mean and standard deviation was 202.71±23.36. Students’ self-confidence was 100.0% unsatisfactory. Conclusion: There was satisfactory clinical learning environment in relation to satisfactory critical thinking skills and that in agreement with students’ perception. Recommendations: faculty staff members at all departments should improve clinical learning environment to enhance critical thinking skills. Improve students’ self-confidence through: close supervision, good communication and training programs.