Nursing students’ critical thinking and associated factors in Vietnam: A multicenter cross-sectional study

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the critical thinking abilities of senior nursing students in Vietnam and determine factors associated with their critical thinking disposition and skills. Background: Assessing critical thinking competence is crucial for determining senior nursing students' preparedness for entering the healthcare workforce and can be used to examine current nursing education's ability to cultivate nursing students’ critical thinking. However, little research was found on critical thinking among Vietnamese nursing students. Design: A multicenter cross-sectional research design. Methods: A convenience sample of 533 senior nursing students from six universities in Vietnam participated in this study. All participants completed the online questionnaires, including basic information, a subscale of the Motivated Strategy for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ), Critical Thinking Disposition Scale (CTDS), and Critical Thinking Self-Assessment Scale (CTSAS). Results: The mean score for the CTDS was 42.81 (standard deviation (SD) = 5.29), while the mean score for the CTSAS was 168.29 (SD = 44.43). Results of the multiple linear-regression analysis showed that an increase in self-study hours per day (B = 0.41, p = 0.007), higher self-efficacy in learning and performance (B = 0.26, p < 0.001), and a more-supportive environment (B = 0.97, p < 0.001) were predictors of critical thinking disposition. Moreover, an increase in self-study hours per day (B = 4.09, p = 0.001), higher self-efficacy in learning and performance (B = 2.65, p < 0.001), a more-supportive environment (B = 7.74, p < 0.001), and more experience with research (B = 7.03, p = 0.03) were predictors of critical thinking skills. Conclusions: This study revealed that senior nursing students in Vietnam possess a moderate level of critical thinking abilities. Those students who dedicate more hours to self-study, demonstrate higher self-efficacy in learning and performance, experience a supportive environment, and engage in more research activities exhibit better critical thinking disposition and skills. The findings highlight the ongoing need to enhance critical thinking disposition and skills of nursing students in Vietnam. It is suggested that nursing faculty members should develop the appropriate strategies to improve nursing students’ critical thinking disposition and skills.