Critical thinking skills study: Vocational nursing

Critical thinking and critical thinking skills are a required competency in the practice of nursing. Nursing Programs are mandated by the American Nurses Association to include critical thinking in nursing curricula. The need for critical thinking and critical thinking skills must be incorporated into entry-level vocational nursing. Yet, there is difficulty in defining and measuring critical thinking and critical thinking skills in entry-level vocational nursing students. This study used the California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST) to measure critical thinking in first semester vocational nursing classes at a community college in Southern California, by utilizing a critical thinking textbook with reading and class activities. The results of this study indicated that there were no significant differences between the control and experimental groups post-test scores upon completion of their first semester of their vocational nursing program.