PURPOSE: This study determined the correlation between nurses' critical thinking disposition; problem solving process; and nursing performance. It also examined the impact of critical thinking disposition and problem solving process on nursing performance. METHODS: The data was collected from 419 nurses. Descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, scheffe test, pearson correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were performed. RESULTS: Nursing performance showed that there were differences according to age, marital status, educational level, total number of years in the career and the length of employment in the present department. The problem solving process showed differences in the educational level. Critical thinking disposition showed differences according to age, educational level and total number of years in the career. Problem solving process and nursing performance showed a positive relationship whereas critical thinking disposition and nurses' performance showed a positive relationship. Factors affecting nursing performance, were nurses' age, duration of employment in the present department, problem solving process and critical thinking disposition. This model was statistically significant and showed 22.1% of the total variance. CONCLUSION: The attention of nursing administrators should be drawn to the consideration that a certain amount of experience in the current department is positively related to nursing performance. Furthermore, in order to provide a improvement in professional nursing performance, educational programs towards nurses' critical thinking disposition and problem solving process should be provided.
Administrative Personnel ; Employment ; Humans ; Marital Status ; Problem Solving ; Thinking