Critical Thinking Disposition of Preceptor Nurse and Professional Nursing Competence of New Graduate Nurse

Abstract

This descriptive-correlational study was conducted to investigate critical thinking disposition of the preceptor nurses and professional nursing competence of the new graduate nurses and to clarify the relationships between them. It is expected to provide fundamental information for nursing education and clinical practice, and eventually to make a contribution to nursing quality improvement. A convenience sample of 49 new graduate nurses and their 49 preceptors who work in the wards and intensive care unit was obtained from A university hospital in S city. The data was collected from June 1 to October 31, 2007. The instruments used in the study were CCTDI(California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory) developed by Facione & Facione(1994) and adapted by Hwang(1998), and 6-D scale(Six Dimension Scale of Nursing Performance) developed by Schwirian(1978) and adapted by Kim (1985). SPSS for windows (version 12.0) was used for statistical analysis. The data was analyzed by t-test, ANOVA and Pearson's Correlation Coefficient as well as descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations. The results of the study are as follows. 1. The critical thinking disposition of the preceptor nurses was 47.36 out of 70. The each item of critical thinking disposition were listed as follows; 'inquisitiveness' 7.42, 'maturity’ 7.07, ‘analyticity’ 6.92, 'truth-seeking’ 6.64, ‘systematicity’ 6.63, 'critical thinking self confidence' 6.57, 'open-mindness' 6.11. 2. The professional nursing competence of the new graduate nurse was 41.23 out of 60. The each item of professional nursing competence were listed as follows; 'interpersonal relationship/communication’ 7.37, ‘professional development' 7.11, 'planning/evaluation' 7.09, 'critical care’ 6.66, 'leadership' 6.47, 'teaching/collaboration’ 6.45. 3. The critical thinking disposition of the preceptor nurses by general characteristics had no statistical significant difference. However, there was a statistical difference in 'systematicity' by workplace (t=-2.34, p=.024) and in 'maturity' by the number of preceptorship among each item of critical thinking disposition. 4. The professional nursing competence of the new graduate nurses by general characteristics had no statistically significant difference but there was a statistical difference in 'teaching/collaboration' (t=2.11, p=.040), 'interpersonal relationship /communication' (t=3.05, p=.004) by workplace among each item of professional nursing competence. 5. There was a significantly positive correlation (r=.45, p=.001) between critical thinking disposition of the preceptor nurses and professional Nursing competence of the new graduate nurses. In conclusion, the findings of this study showed a significantly positive correlation between critical thinking disposition of the preceptor nurses and professional nursing competence of the new graduate nurses. Further studies are to be conducted to identify the ways to improve professional nursing competence by reviewing critical thinking disposition. In addition, consistent efforts to develop and operate preceptorship program, and to seek ways to combine critical thinking disposition of preceptor nurses with new graduate nurses' education would be required as it might contribute to improve quality of nursing education and practice.

본 연구는 프리셉터 간호사의 비판적 사고성향과 신규 간호사의 간호수행능력을 조사하고, 그 관계를 규명함으로써, 간호교육과 간호실무의 향상을 위한 기초자료를 제공하고, 더 나아가 임상 간호사가 제공하는 간호의 질을 높이는데 기여하고자 시도된 상관관계 연구이다. 연구대상자는 S시 소재의 A 대학교병원에서 근무하는 일반병동과 집중치료실 간호사 중 편의 추출된 신규 간호사 49명과 이들 신규 간호사를 교육한 프리셉터 간호사 49명이며, 자료수집은 2007년 6월 1일부터 10월 31일까지 실시하였다. 연구도구는 Facione & Facione(1994)이 개발하고 황지원(1998)이 수정, 보완한 CCTDI(California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory)와 Schwirian(1978)이 개발하고 김명화(1985)가 번역하여 수정, 보완한 6-D scale(Six Dimension Scale of Nursing Performance)을 사용하였다. 수집된 자료는 SPSS 12.0 프로그램을 이용하여 실수와 백분율, 평균과 표준편차, t-test와 ANOVA, Pearson's Correlation Coefficient로 분석하였다. 본 연구의 결과는 다음과 같다. 1. 프리셉터 간호사의 비판적 사고성향은 최대 70점에 대해 47.36점으로 나타났으며, 각 영역별 비판적 사고성향은 ‘호기심많음’ 7.42, ‘성숙’ 7.07, ‘분석’ 6.92, ‘진실추구’ 6.64, ‘체계성’ 6.63, ‘비판적사고자신감’ 6.57, ‘편견없음’ 6.11 순이었다. 2. 신규 간호사의 간호수행능력은 최대 60점에 대해 41.23점으로 나타났으며, 각 영역별 간호수행능력은 ‘대인관계/의사소통’ 7.37, ‘전문직 발달’ 7.11, ‘계획/평가’ 7.09, ‘중환자 간호’ 6.66, ‘지도력’ 6.47, ‘교육/협력’ 6.45 순이었다. 3. 프리셉터 간호사의 일반적 특성에 따른 비판적 사고성향은 통계적으로 유의한 차이가 없었다. 다만, 근무부서에 따라 하부 영역별 비판적 사고성향 중 ‘체계성’(t=-2.34, p=.02), 그리고 프리셉터쉽 횟수에 따라 ‘성숙’(t=-3.13, p=.003)에서 통계적으로 유의한 차이를 보였다. 4. 신규 간호사의 일반적 특성에 따른 간호수행능력은 통계적으로 유의한 차이가 없었다. 다만, 근무부서에 따라 하부 영역별 간호수행능력 중 ‘교육/협력’(t=2.11, p=.040), ‘대인관계/의사소통’(t=3.05, p=.004)에서 통계적으로 유의한 차이가 있었다. 5. 프리셉터 간호사의 비판적 사고성향과 신규 간호사의 간호수행능력 간에는 통계적으로 유의한 순상관관계가 있는 것으로 나타났다(r=.45, p=.001). 본 연구 결과는 프리셉터 간호사의 비판적 사고성향과 신규 간호사의 간호수행능력에 순상관관계가 있음을 보여주고 있으며, 따라서 앞으로 비판적 사고를 검토하여 간호수행능력을 향상시킬 수 있는 방안을 모색하고, 프리셉터쉽 교육개발과 운영방안에 대한 지속적인 시도가 필요하며 프리셉터 간호사의 비판적 사고성향을 신규 간호사의 교육에 접목 시킬 수 있는 교육방안을 강구하여, 간호교육과 간호실무의 질을 향상시켜나가야 할 것이다.