A Study of Communication Style, Critical Thinking Disposition, Job Satisfaction and Job Stress in Hospital Nurses

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the predictors of job stress in hospital nurses. The predictors of job stress were the subject's general characteristics, communication style, critical thinking disposition and job satisfaction. Methods: 294 nurses who had worked in a hospital participated in this study. The data were analysed with descriptive analysis methods including a t-test, ANOVA, Scheffe test, Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis. Results: The job stress score for nurses was 111.6. There was a statistically significant difference between job stress and marriage status (p<.001), education (p<.001), clinical career (p<.001), position (p<.001), communication style (p<.001), critical thinking disposition (p<.001), and job satisfaction (p<.001). Critical thinking disposition, job satisfaction and clinical career together accounted for 36.88% of the total variation in job stress. Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, the development of a nursing intervention program that can lead to an improvement in critical thinking disposition is suggested

Effects of Nursing Education using a High-fidelity Patient Simulator on Self-directed Learning Competency, Clinical Knowledge, and Problem-solving Ability among Nursing Students

Purpose: This study investigated the effects of simulation-based nursing education (for the care of congestive heart failure patients) on self-directed learning competency, clinical knowledge and problem-solving ability among nursing students. Methods: A one-group, pre-post design was utilized with 87 nursing students as the subjects. The scenario of simulation-based nursing education was created using a high-fidelity patient stimulator, and consisted of four states ((1) assessment, (2) reviewing laboratory data and administering medications and treatments, (3) managing increased dyspnea and decreased urine output, and (4) handling the "getting better" state). The simulation-based nursing education included orientation, team-based learning, team-based practice, and debriefing. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficients and paired t-tests. Results: The scores on the factors for self-directed learning competency (t=-2.57, p= .011), clinical knowledge (t=-6.85, p<.001), and problem-solving ability (t=-3.01, p= .003) increased significantly after the education intervention. Conclusion: Simulation-based nursing education is useful in improving self-directed learning competency, clinical knowledge, and problem-solving ability in nursing students