Hi Ahmed Alyed,

if you are measuring ability, the best tool to be employed is Rasch Measurement Model as it helps to produce a ruler that measures the ability of nurses in a logit scale.

dear Ahmad

here are relevant publications:

http://eprints.qut.edu.au/263/

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0029655406800059

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Christine_Tanner3/publication/7003793_Thinking_like_a_nurse_a_research-based_model_of_clinical_judgment_in_nursing/links/0c9605294f14427681000000.pdf

http://windsor.scholarsportal.info/ojs/leddy/index.php/informal_logic/article/view/2254

Article Thinking Like a Nurse: A Research-Based Model of Clinical Ju...

thanks Rohani Mohd 

thanks Rahimi Ali

pleasure Ahmad , good luck with your study.

Hi Ahmad,

There is a tool to measure critical thinking in nursing such as California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory. This is the citation of an article that used this tool in their research:

Nokes, KM, Nickitas, DM, Keida, R & Neville, S 2005, 'Does service-learning increase cultural competency, critical thinking, and civic engagement?', Journal of Nursing Education, vol. 44, no. 2, pp. 65-70.

Alternatively, you can use a qualitative approach as outlined in the article citation as follow:

Sedlak, C, Doheny, M, Panthofer, N & Anaya, E 2003, 'Critical thinking in students' service learning experiences', College Teaching, vol. 51, no. 3, p. 5.

thanks  Neti Juniarti, I look for quantitative approach

At AUHS SoN is located in Signal Hill, California, USA, some students seem to come to college without good critical thinking skills. Therefore we began an undergraduate course  to improve our student's critical thinking in the health sciences classes. That class in Critical Thinking [in undergraduate studies]  uses the following textbook:

The Vocabulary of Critical Thinking by Washburn, Phil.

New York, NY.: Oxford University Press    2011   1st edition

Intro xv; Pages 383 [paperback]

ISBN 10: 0195324803  ISBN 13: 9780195324808

http://www.amazon.com/Vocabulary-Critical-Thinking-Phil-Washburn/dp/0195324803

Prices began at: $69.90, then went down to $44.45, and are currently at $38.27.

We have seen great improvement in the student outcomes of critical thinking in health sciences, especially when we look at classroom discussion, CT questions and answers on tests compared with previous classes. In addition there are some questions that are CT type questions on NCLEX practice tests. Also scores of NCLEX greatly improved.

 The back cover has the following, of which I have shortened, quoted and in part, paraphrased:

The Vocabulary of Critical Thinking "offers an innovative way to improve students' thinking skills. It begins at a practical level by helping students master the crucial terms that are the building blocks of critical thinking--terms such as "generalization," "inferring," "to confirm," "justifying," "assumption," and others. The book provides hundreds of short, accessible readings that illustrate the concepts and related thinking skills. It explains in a step-by-step fashion how students can perform the specific skills themselves."

The book is "enhanced with numerous study questions, exercises, arguments for analysis, and writing tasks", and "features drawings, photographs and annotated bibliography". 

"Ideal for courses in critical thinking and reasoning, it can also be used in a variety of courses on writing, the humanities, interdisciplinary topics , study skills and college preparation." 

I do hope this helps,

Respectfully,

Jeanetta Mastron

Whilst not originally designed for a specific profession our ICE 80/20 develops problem solving skills and critical thinking in students from across different faculties. We are in the process of developing the tools for staff and students in enginerring and the humanities. Happy to talk anytime.

Fernando Lourenço, Tony G. Taylor, David W. Taylor (2013) Integrating "education for entrepreneurship" in multiple faculties in "half-the-time" to enhance graduate entrepreneurship. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, Vol. 20, No. 3, pp. 503 – 525

Ahmad:

You can also use "Debating" in your instructional strategies for your nurses in helping them to develop their critical thinking skills as described in my recent conference paper:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274720155_Debating_A_Dynamic_Teaching_Strategy_for_Motivating_Students_and_Teachers

Best regards,

Debra

Conference Paper Debating: A Dynamic Teaching Strategy for Motivating Student...

Reflection is a tool for learning

• Facilitate integration of theory and practice 
• Develop individual theories to influence practice and generate knowledge
• Allow the correction of distortions and errors in beliefs related to discrete activities, and the values and norms that underpin them
• Advance theory to lead to changes at professional, social, and political levels 

http://www.nursingsociety.org/aboutus/positionpapers/documents/resource_reflective.pdf

thanks Jeanetta Mastron, but I want tool as checklist

thanks David W. Taylor

thanks Krishnan Umachandran

Dear Ahmad Ayed,

1.  In our university [in every department], we use rubrics to measure learning outcomes. They are particularly useful in grading "papers" objectively, skills lab performance and the like. Departments are all health sciences, and degrees offered include:  BS PS [Bachelors of Science-Pharmaceutical Science], BSN  Bachelors of Science-Nursing, MSCR [Master's of Science - Clinical Research]. Rubrics are also used in our Gen Ed. department. Rubrics help to remove bias in grading/scoring/assessing, in addition to being a great checklist and assessment tool.

2. That being said.....I specifically set out to find one [rubric] for Problem Solving & Critical Thinking in Nursing for you:

I found a guide to help you create your own rubric TOOL, that is not only a checklist, but also helps you to measure or grade or assess Higher Order Thinking. Since Problem Solving is in the realm of  higher order of thinking, you may find this useful to create your own tool to design it around the specific objectives with which you teach a specific course.

Designing Rubrics for Assessing Higher Order Thinking

http://academic.pgcc.edu/~wpeirce/MCCCTR/Designingrubricsassessingthinking.html

3. I then Googled the following: "rubric to measure the nurses ability in problem solving".

I found the following dissertation by Professor Wendy Adams at  University of Northern Colorado entitled: "Creating a new problem-solving assessment tool" that may help you, again to create a specific tool for assessing problem solving and critical thinking in nursing.  

"For this dissertation, I have created a version of this instrument that is

effective in an interview situation at identifying and evaluating students’ problem

solving abilities in 44 distinct areas and I created a written version with scoring rubric that evaluates 90% of these 44 skills."

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4.  If you are seeking a READY-MADE - made assessment checklist tool,  I suggest the AAC&U,  Association of American Colleges and Universities, rubric as posted on Duke University site entitled: PROBLEM SOLVING VALUE RUBRIC

https://assessment.trinity.duke.edu/documents/ProblemSolving.pdf

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5.  On another note:

We also use TEAS Tesing and ATI Testing specifically for BS N program as a computer online assessment test. I think these are more about actual nursing skills and may have some problem solving/critical thinking questions in it, but more about skills.

The TEAS V as normed for Allied Health programs was formerly called the Health Occupations Basic Entrance Test (HOBET). YOU can do a practice exam to see what it is like and if it is what you are looking for.

https://www.atitesting.com/Solutions/pre-program/TEAS.aspx

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6.  Finally: The American Society for Cell Biology ,Life Science Education published the following article in 2008 will allow you to create an assessment tool to find the gaps in Student Problem-Solving Skills: and then use it for interventions. 

Gauging the Gaps in Student Problem-Solving Skills: Assessment of Individual and Group Use of Problem-Solving Strategies Using Online Discussions authored by William L. Anderson, Steven M. Mitchell, and Marcy P. Osgood with         Deborah Allen, Monitoring Editor,  2008 Summer; 7(2): 254–262.  doi: 10.1187/cbe.07-06-0037

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2424308/

ABSTRACT: "For the past 3 yr, faculty at the University of New Mexico, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology have been using interactive online Problem-Based Learning (PBL) case discussions in our large-enrollment classes. We have developed an illustrative tracking method to monitor student use of problem-solving strategies to provide targeted help to groups and to individual students. This method of assessing performance has a high interrater reliability, and senior students, with training, can serve as reliable graders. We have been able to measure improvements in many students' problem-solving strategies, but, not unexpectedly, there is a population of students who consistently apply the same failing strategy when there is no faculty intervention. This new methodology provides an effective tool to direct faculty to constructively intercede in this area of student development.

I do hope this information will help you find OR CREATE the "tool for problem solving and critical thinking in nursing" which "measures the nurses ability in problem solving" that you are seeking.

Respectfully,

Ms. Jeanetta Mastron 

full thanks  Jeanetta Mastron , I think  what you introduce is appropriate for what I want

Dear Ahmad Ayed,

You are most welcome !

Please let us all know what tool/s you implement and the outcome, effectiveness etc. As a teacher who must get students to problem solve & think critically in pharmacy and pharmaceutical science application, I am most interested in your application and discoveries.

Most respectfully,

Jeanetta Mastron

Dear Jeanetta Mastron

Wellcome,

Well done, I  well do 

With my respect

Ahmad Ayed

Ahmad,

I am looking forward to it !

Jeanetta

Hi Ahmad,

I was a medical instructor for ten years. I hope what I am about to share will help.

Most problems a nurse will face are in hands-on situations.

I used to set my classes up with several verifiable skill checklist (very detailed).The checklist helps to identify if the students are following protocol and procedures and can complete the skill require during a particular lab section.

You need to define the areas you want to explore for problem-solving, pharmacy, Triage, disruptive patients, controlling a conversation, OBGYN paperwork, lab forms, intake from people with mental health issues. The list is long with many potential situations that require a nurse to implement critical thinking skills.

What has worked for me (and I am very different in my teaching styles) is with each subject taught I put in place role playing situations that mimic real-life situations. Example :

What do you do if another nurse is in the hall and says I have to go respond to an emergency. Take this syringe and give it to the lady in room 357.

This is a great example.

 Will your student follow orders blindly?

Will they give the injection drawn by another person.

Does the student understand the whole concept of what it means to give a medication.

Will that student give the injection drawn by another person?

These scenarios are hidden within the activities of the role playing for the day.

Medical classes should address as many situations as time will allow.

( after the student has the principles and skills are committed to memory)

If you narrow down a subject, I will be happy to give further suggestions.I love teaching clinical classes!

Have a great day

Suzette

HI Suzette,

Wonderful Suzette!

I have done similar critical thinking exercises with a check list that is also very detailed BUT it also has a scoring mechanism to rate the response, completeness, quality etc. That list is called a rubric if it has the rating and ranking system of scoring. BUT before I used one with such scoring for grading purposes, I used a plain, but detailed, check off list, which simply asked did they do this or that/ yes or no. The rubric allows for not done, done AND HOW WELL and how COMPLETE it was done.

The scenario you gave is similar to the one I give in pharmacy: you are working in an IV hood next to another pharmacy technician. It is her time to clock out and go home. There is no overtime allowed. She asks you to complete the injections into 5 IV bags's that are in the hood and she has prepared the medication in the syringe. What do you do? 

This of course can vary the scenario with she has to leave early for a dental appointment, go to child's soccer practice etc. The question is always about blindly taking over someone else's work, yes or no, checking the original orders yes or no, "if in doubt leave it out", which means start from scratch/beginning, review with the person leaving, double check names and room numbers of patients, diagnosis to check if makes sense for the drug to be administered for that patient, check allergies etc., etc., etc. IF allowed to do this per policy OR does the policy require that the first tech complete his/her own work before leaving the floor to clock out? What is BEST practice no matter what the policy allows? etc.

My scenarios are also hidden with activities that must mimic real life situations that boarder on ethics, law and of course with non-hidden with activities that must mimic technical procedures to be performed per hospital policy & procedures or Joint Commission BEST practice protocols. I have several P&P books on hand and part of the scenario is to know which protocol, P&P manual to use. 

VERY GOOD points you brought up!

I often add and make up additional scenarios as I go along,as law changes with real time and as the moment dictates: impromptu you may say. A check list works well with impromptu scenarios, as the rubric may or may not address the specifics of the scenario. It also allows me to hone the new or additional scenario and then make a specific rubric for it for future formal use in another class, the next time I teach it [trial].

Respectfully,

Jeanetta Mastron