Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the differences in critical thinking and professionalism between Korean and Chinese nursing students. Critical thinking and professionalism were a part of five domains to evaluate nursing education: critical thinking, professionalism, leadership, communication, and nursing practice from the Korean Accreditation Board of Nursing. Methods: Data were collected from 207 college nursing students: 104 students from the 4-year degree program in Korea and 103 from the 5-year degree program in China from September 2006 to September 2007. The instruments for Chinese students were translated in Chinese and re-translated to check accuracy. The data were analyzed by using the SPSS/PC+ Win 12.0 Version. The $x^2$-test to compare general characteristics and the t-test to examine the differences of the study variables were conducted. Results: Korean nursing students reported significantly higher scores of critical thinking than did Chinese students while Chinese students reported significantly higher scores of professionalism. Students took previous courses associated with critical thinking reported significantly higher scores than did those without previous courses taken. There was no significant difference in scores of professionalism whether students had previous experience of related courses or not. Rather than, students with clinical practice reported higher scores of professionalism than did those without clinical practice. Conclusion: Levels of critical thinking were influenced by course focusing on critical thinking while professionalism was improved by combination of associated courses and clinical practice. For follow-up study, there is needed to examine nursing curriculum between Korea and China.

Keywords

• Critical thinking;
• Professionalism;
• Nursing students;
• Cultural difference

• 비판적 사고;
• 전문직관;
• 간호대학생;
• 문화적 차이;