The Effects of Reflective Training on the Disposition of Critical Thinking for Nursing Students in China: A Controlled Trial

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of reflective trainings for nursing students on their critical thinking disposition. METHODS: A total of 157 senior undergraduate nursing students sampled from Hainan Medical University in China participated in this study in 2014. They were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group students were provided the reflective training during their entire 12-month clinical internship, whereas students in the control group were requested to keep their reflective diaries but without a formal training. Before and after the intervention, nursing students' critical thinking disposition was rated using the Chinese version of Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CTDI-CV). RESULTS: Before the start of the intervention, the critical thinking disposition scores of the two groups had no significant differences. At the end of the intervention, it was found that the experimental students performed better in each subscale of CTDI-CV. These include the search for truth, open mind, analytical ability, systematic ability, critical thinking, self-confidence, curiosity, and cognitive maturity. By summing the scores of all categories, the results showed that the experimental group had a significantly higher total score than that of the control group (p ≤ .044). Evaluating the score difference in each function indicated that there was a range of improvements on the critical thinking disposition because of the reflective training intervention. CONCLUSION: Reflective training during the internship period improves nursing students' disposition of critical thinking and promotes their readiness for their clinical practices in the rapidly increasing demands of the healthcare field.

Demands and Countermeasures of TCM Continuing Education of Doctors in Health Clinics in Towns and Townships of Hunan Province / 中国中医药信息杂志

Objective To investigate the awareness rate of TCM knowledge, the application, and demand situation of Chinese appropriate techniques in health clinics in towns and townships of Hunan Province;To put forward the countermeasures of TCM continuing education. Methods 50%of the training doctors were adopted randomly from 4 training courses in health clinics in towns and townships in Hunan Province. The student number of each course was 49, 51, 53, 53, respectively. Self-designed questionaires were used to investigate 206 training doctors. Results 168 (81.55%) doctors’ degrees were technical secondary school degree and college degree;186 (90.29%) doctors’ professional titles were physician assistant and physician;The awareness rate of TCM knowledge was 63.83%;Different study backgrounds of doctors had different effects on the rate of TCM knowledge (χ2=42.42, P=0.01). The using rates of TCM appropriate techniques were all lower than 30%. 96.60%of doctors in health clinics in towns and townships hope to learn one or more TCM appropriate techniques to help diagnose and treat disease. Conclusion The degree, professional title, mastery of TCM knowledge, and TCM appropriate techniques were not optimistic. The doctors in health clinics in towns and townships showed strong desire for TCM appropriate techniques. The health department should combine the actual situation of doctors in health clinics in towns and townships and develop targeted TCM continuing education.