The Effects of Learning Styles and Nursing Professional Attitude on Problem-Solving Ability among Nursing Students / 한국간호교육학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The effects of learning styles and nursing professional attitude on the problem-solving ability among nursing students were explained. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study was performed with 245 nursing students who completed self-report questionnaires between April 14 and May 7, 2014. RESULTS: The dominant learning styles of the nursing students were assimilating (33.9%) and diverging (33.1%), with converging (11.4%) being the least dominant. Nursing professional attitude in the nursing students was high (mean 65 out of 80). Problem-solving ability in the nursing students was high (mean 159 out of 225), especially among seniors. The relationship between learning styles and problem-solving ability in nursing students was not statistically significant (F=2.44, p=.065), even though nursing students with converging learning style had higher problem-solving ability than nursing students with other learning styles. The problem-solving ability of nursing students was influenced by nursing professional attitude, being a senior and preference for discussion. These variables explained 16.9% of the variance in problem-solving ability. Nursing professional attitude with 12.3% was the most influential. CONCLUSION: The problem-solving ability of nursing students was more influenced by nursing professional attitude than by learning styles. Therefore, we suggest strategies to develop a positive nursing professional attitude that leads to promoting the problem-solving ability of nursing students.