Efficacy of teaching methods used to develop critical thinking in nursing and midwifery undergraduate students: A systematic review of the literature

Abstract

Whilst this review aimed to identify effective teaching strategies that promote and develop critical thinking, flaws in methodology and outcome measures contributed to inconsistent findings. The continued use of generalised CT tools is unlikely to help identify appropriate teaching methods that will improve CT abilities of midwifery and nursing students and prepare them for practise. The review was limited to empirical studies published in English that used measures of critical thinking with midwifery and nursing students. Discipline specific strategies and tools that measure students' abilities to apply CT in practise are needed.

Ensino Das Habilidades Do Pensamento Crítico Por Meio De Problem Based Learning

“…These conceptions are similar to what is described in the national and international nursing literature. 5,15,20,21 In a more general concept, in the various areas of knowledge beyond health, such as psychology, philosophy, education, the critical thinker has been reported as an individual who analyzes, judges in an intentional, reflective manner and who always seeks truth impartially and weighted values. 5,7 In nursing, it has been defined as someone with the capacity to employ the highest cognitive abilities to analyze, question, evaluate, conceptualize and understand clinical problems in a more precise, logical and adequate way.…”

“…As the present study attempts to do, conducting research comparing teaching methods or methodologies appears to be suitable, which considers CT as a superior mental function achieved within a Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) or a stimulus to a conscious behavior of the student, as proposed by Vygotsky's Historical-Cultural Theory. [11][12][13][14][15][16] As an indispensable tool for care practice, CT should not be confused with innate capacity, but understood as an ability that can be taught and learned.…”

“…14 However, it should be emphasized that forms of assimilation and learning are influenced by cultural factors, and validation or refutation of findings of foreign research through replication in other countries should occur. 15 The national and international literature 9,[11][12][13][14] has positively highlighted PBL as a methodology for mobilizing CT skills, however, there is still little intervention-type research that replicates or evaluates CT skills in nursing students in Brazil. 9 In view of this finding, the present study aims to comparatively analyze the perceptions of students from two class groups regarding the implicit teaching of critical thinking in a BLS course.…”

Theory of communicative action: a basis for the development of critical thinking

“…Recent studies have shown that some strategies have a better performance in the promotion of CT among undergraduate Nursing students, such as Problem Based Learning (PBL), Simulation, Concept Mapping, reflection and the association between two or more strategies (8)(9) .…”

“…In this way, understanding the classroom as an environment for CT promotion is essential in nursing education, as well as understanding the nurse as an educator who is a responsible and ethical professional, creating an environment conducive to learning in which the aim is to train competent, effective and autonomous nurses (8)(9) . Nursing educators should provide a captivating and interesting teaching and learning process in Nursing programs that focus on the development of these ideals.…”