Critical Thinking in Nurse Anesthesia Education: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Critical thinking is pivotal for student success in health professions education. Knowing the critical thinking ability of the learner helps educators tailor curriculum to enhance critical thinking. A quantitative comparative pilot study assessed critical thinking ability for students at two distinct points in a nurse anesthesia program curriculum. Critical thinking was examined using the Health Sciences Reasoning Test (HSRT) for students at the beginning and end of the first year of didactic instruction. This pilot study serves as a foundation for additional critical thinking studies. These study results may serve to help nurse anesthesia educators improve the learning process. Nurse anesthesia educators are in an important position to improve teaching and learning through classroom activities that foster critical thinking.