The relationship between critical thinking and job performance among nurses: A descriptive survey study

Abstract

AimThis study investigated the relationship between nurses' critical thinking skills and job performance and whether critical thinking and its subdomains predict job performance.BackgroundIt is expected that nurses may use critical thinking skills to provide evidence‐based quality patient care in health care settings. However, there is limited evidence about whether critical thinking is related to job performance among nurses.DesignThis was a descriptive, cross‐sectional survey study.MethodsThe study included 368 nurses working in the inpatient wards of a university hospital in Turkey. The survey included a demographic information questionnaire, the Critical Thinking Scale in Clinical Practice for Nurses and the Nurses' Job Performance Scale. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics, comparisons, reliability and normality tests, correlation and regression analysis.ResultsParticipating nurses got average scores from the critical thinking and job performance scale and sub‐scales, and there was a positive, mid‐level and statistically significant correlation between the scale scores. According to the multiple linear regression analysis results, personal critical thinking, interpersonal and self‐management critical thinking and the total critical thinking scores positively affected the job performance scores of nurses.ConclusionAs critical thinking predicts nurses' job performance, managers of hospitals and nursing services should consider training programs or activities to increase nurses' essential thinking competencies, thus improving clinical nurses' performances.