Effect of Reflective Training Program on Nurse Interns' Critical Thinking Disposition and Communication Competency

Abstract

Rapid changes in nursing practice emphasis on nurses’ autonomy in the delivery of health care services and give them more responsibility in determining the outcome of their nursing interventions. These skills are the most essential nursing tools in healthcare delivery. So the present study aimed to determine the effect of reflective training program on nurse interns' critical thinking disposition and communication competency. This study was conducted at Zagazig University hospitals, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt. For this research a quasi-experimental design was utilized. Simple random sample of 80 nurse interns who receive their training at the above mentioned setting. Data were collected using three tools; reflective practice questionnaire, critical thinking disposition scale and interpersonal communication competency scale. Results illustrated that there was a significant betterment in nurse interns' reflective practice score after application of the program (p < 0.01). Also, there was statistically significant enhancement in critical thinking disposition score, where P- value < 0.01. Additionally, there was a statistically significant betterment in total score of communication competence after the program application (p < 0.01). Conclusion: Critical reflection had significant correlation with betterments of both critical thinking disposition and communication competence among nurse interns. Consequently it was recommended that faculty should encourage nursing educators to use reflection as a teaching method to develop students' critical thinking disposition and communication competence.