The development of a critical thinking conceptual model to enhance critical thinking skills in middle-eastern nurses: a middle-eastern experience

Objective This paper aims to describe the development of a critical thinking conceptual model which was constructed to guide the teaching and evaluation of critical thinking skills to Middle-Eastern nurses. Setting A large tertiary hospital situated in the Middle-East, which adopted North American standards of healthcare. Subjects Twenty Middle-Eastern female nurses who graduated from a nursing college in the Middle-East, wherein basic nursing subjects were taught, but critical thinking was not included in the curriculum of the nursing content. Primary Argument Critical thinking is an essential element for nurses who function in today's complex healthcare domain. Nursing organisations worldwide have recognised the need to develop and stimulate higher-order critical thinking by using innovative strategies to stimulate critical thinking abilities. This Middle-Eastern hospital sought to promote critical thinking skills in Middle-Eastern nurses, and a Professional Development Nursing Program was established. An education component to promote critical thinking was developed and integrated into the curriculum of this program. Conclusion Nurses and nurse educators favoured a model that supported critical thinking. Reasons given refer to improving professional standards of practice, stimulating inquiry and promoting sound reasoning in practice, as well as contributing to personal and professional development. The model was effective for this nursing educational program and could be duplicated by other programs to create a learning environment for developing critical thinking, as well as promoting professionalism in nursing.