The development of structural equation model of critical thinking among nursing students

These were to study the critical thinking of nursing students, and to develop and check the goodness of fit of the Structural Equation Model of critical thinking among nursing students, which was compared with an empirical data set. There were 549 first year nursing students. Multi-stage random sampling was used in this research, by cluster random sampling from 20 private higher education institutions that provide nursing courses, comprising 25 percent, and random sampling 5 private higher education institutions, in order to gain 549 samples for this study. These were critical thinking questionnaires and variable effects of critical thinking questionnaires. The data was analyzed by descriptive statistics and the Structural Equation Model. This research indicated that the goodness of fit test of the Structural Equation Model of critical thinking among nursing students was applicable. The results showed the following statistical values: Chi-square = 284.895, df = 248, p-value = 0.054, RMSEA = 0.016, RMR = 0.009, GFI = 0.968, CFI = 0.997 and χ²/df = 1.149; this indicated that the Structural Equation Model goodness of fit matched the empirical data quite well. The Self Efficiency, Emotional Intelligence, and Learning Style variables had positively direct effects on critical thinking (b = 0.371, 0.370 and 0.376). The Internal Locus of Control had a negatively direct effect on critical thinking (b = −0.120). In conclusion, in theoretical and practical teaching, nursing academies should promote critical thinking among nursing students by using the following variables: self-efficiency, emotional intelligence, learning style, and internal locus of control. This model should be used to develop complementary courses on critical thinking for nursing students.