Exploring online critical inquiry experiences of first year undergraduate nursing students in a northeast American college

Abstract

Developing practitioners who can think critically is a core goal in the nursing discipline. The ability to prioritize information, problem solve, and support decisions with evidence positively correlates with patient quality of care, safety, and outcomes. These skills however are challenging to teach and learn, and research shows many nursing students and new nurses lack proficiency. As programs move online, it is imperative we understand how to better design and teach courses for improved critical inquiry. This interpretive phenomenological analysis explored undergraduate nursing students' experiences in an online course that included critical thinking as a goal. The primary research question guiding this study was: How do undergraduate nursing students describe their first year experience with critical inquiry in an online course on nursing history and theory? Participants of this study included six undergraduate nursing students who, during the first semester of the program, completed a hybrid course. Following data analysis of semi-structured interviews, five main themes emerged. Findings indicated that previous experiences and context formed individuals' critical inquiry definition and how they perceived its success. Critical inquiry improved as knowledge and skills developed over time.Success increased when instructors established relationships with their students, motivating them to engage in the coursework and with their peers. Positive peer relationships were important for boosting students' willingness to share information, supporting discourse. Finally, opportunities for organic, informal conversations gave students foundational material for deeper discussions.

Workplace violence against nursing interns and patient safety: The multiple mediation effect of professional identity and professional burnout

“…Hospitals and nursing schools neglect workplace violence against nursing interns, which leads to a high prevalence of workplace violence against nursing interns. In an US study, over 50% of nursing interns reported experiencing horizontal violence at least once during a clinical setting (Wallace & Tucker, 2019 ). Cheung et al ( 2019 ) found that 30.6% of nursing interns in Hong Kong reported having received verbal threats, and 16.5% reported having been physically assaulted.…”