The Contribution of the Clinical Nurse Instructor to the Development of Critical Thinking Skills of the Student Nurse in Namibia

RESUMO

A quantitative; non-experimental and exploratory study was undertaken to determine the contribution by the clinical nurse instructor to develop critical thinking skills of student nurses in Namibia. The study was conducted at the training hospitals of Namibia; namely Windhoek; Oshakati and Onandjokwe State hospitals. Clinical nurse instructors from all disciplines were included in the study; as well as student nurses in their second; third and fourth year of undergraduate nursing study. The findings of the study revealed that; although the clinical instructors in the training hospitals of Namibia are aware of their responsibility; they do not focus on the development of critical thinking of student nurses in Namibia. A need for in-service programmes to emphasise the development of critical thinking skills of both clinical nurse instructors and student nurses was identified