Aug 2026· Nurse Educator· 0 citations· 23 references
Medicine
TL;DR
The Modified Illness-Wellness Continuum model effectively bridges foundational medical knowledge with nursing practice, fostering critical thinking and clinical judgment in undergraduate nursing students.
Abstract
Background
As health care evolves, nursing faculty need to continuously update the curriculum. Theories and models help students grasp abstract critical thinking concepts that underpin clinical reasoning.
Purpose
To evaluate how integrating the Illness-Wellness Continuum model into the nursing curriculum affects undergraduate students' critical thinking and clinical judgment.
Methods
This was a study of 127 students in a medical-surgical nursing course using the Critical Thinking Self-Assessment Scale and a clinical judgment tool.
Results
Clinical judgment scores improved significantly (P < .001) from course start (4.87 ± 0.60) to end (5.38 ± 0.49), as did critical thinking scores (4.47 ± 0.67; 4.96 ± 0.70). Age and gender showed no significant effects, although the relationship between critical thinking and clinical judgment strengthened significantly (Fisher z = 2.64, P = .014).
Conclusions
The Modified Illness-Wellness Continuum model effectively bridges foundational medical knowledge with nursing practice, fostering critical thinking and clinical judgment in undergraduate nursing students.
Comparing critical thinking abilities among students in the Diploma III, Bachelor of Nursing, and Professional Nursing programs at Institut Kesehatan Payung Negeri Pekanbaru suggests that the three programs had similar critical thinking profiles at the time of measurement.
Gita Adelia, Esperanza Zuriguel Pérez, Imelda Rahmayunia Kartika et al.· An Idea Health Journal· 0 citations
The nursing process is a systematic, patient-centered framework essential for clinical reasoning and decision-making in nursing education. It is commonly operationalized through the ADPIE (Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation) model, which guides nurses in identifying patient needs, developing care plans, implementing interventions, and evaluating outcomes in a structured and iterative manner. Although the nursing process is fundamental to nursing education and practice, some students may experience difficulties in applying ADPIE effectively, particularly the aspects of clinical reasoning and reflective practice. This was a quasi-experimental study conducted to compare the effects of a Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI)-assisted nursing process approach with traditional instruction on nursing students’ evidence-based critical thinking, learning self-efficacy, and self-reported clinical reasoning. Moreover, the study integrated the intervention into a second-year nursing course (i.e., nursing process via obstetric nursing internship) as part of formal curriculum activities. Students who participated in the GenAI-assisted nursing process approach demonstrated higher levels of evidence-based critical thinking, improved learning self-efficacy, and enhanced self-reported clinical reasoning ability compared with those in the traditional instruction group. The GenAI system provided adaptive feedback, real-time scaffolding, and iterative case refinement beyond traditional case-based learning. Integrating GenAI into the ADPIE framework within nursing education may enhance students’ critical thinking, learning self-efficacy, and self-reported clinical reasoning by supporting structured and reflective learning processes, offering a promising pedagogical approach for nursing education.
Introduction: The integration of Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) into nursing education faces challenges in linking theory to clinical application in complex family health contexts. Students struggle with efficiently accessing, appraising, and applying evidence influenced by sociocultural factors. Artificial intelligence (AI) offers transformative potential but requires pedagogical design to foster critical thinking and ethical use beyond technical skills.Method: An action research with mixed methods was conducted with 100 nursing students. The intervention had four phases: participatory family diagnosis, AI-assisted evidence retrieval and validation, community educational workshops design and execution, and multi-level evaluation.Results: A significant shift in AI use from basic to strategic, with a 40% reduction in literature search time. Qualitative data revealed enhanced critical awareness and ethical reasoning, while quantitative results indicated 90% of students improved critical appraisal skills and 70% felt more confident in evidence-based decisions. The project impacted 100 families, with 90% trusting evidence-based recommendations.Conclusions: Integrating AI in experiential pedagogies like Design Thinking and Service-Learning effectively develops nursing competencies, ensuring technology adoption supports context-sensitive family health learning outcomes.
Maria Graciela Villalba-Condori, Carla Cuya-Zevallos· Publicaciones· 0 citations
BACKGROUND
Equipping nursing students with 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, lifelong learning, and innovativeness is vital for safe and high-quality patient care. Although 21st-century competencies are increasingly emphasized as essential outcomes of nursing education, project planning courses remain insufficiently integrated into nursing curricula. Furthermore, there is a paucity of empirical evidence regarding its effects on individual innovativeness, critical thinking motivation, and lifelong learning among nursing students.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to examine the effect of a structured project planning course on nursing students' critical thinking motivation, individual innovativeness, and lifelong learning levels.
METHODS
This quasi-experimental study was conducted with second-year nursing students (intervention group: n = 19; control group: n = 19). The intervention group participated in a 14-week structured project planning course. Pre- and post-intervention measurements were conducted using the Critical Thinking Motivation Scale, Individual Innovativeness Scale, and Lifelong Learning Scale. Data were analyzed using paired and independent t-tests as well as repeated measures ANOVA.
RESULTS
Significant improvements were observed in the intervention group's total IIS scores (η2 = 0.024, p = 0.032), particularly in the subdimensions of opinion leadership (p = 0.012) and risk-taking (η2 = 0.082, p = 0.021). The qualitative shift in innovation profiles, supported by graphical analysis, showed a transition from passive adopter categories to "Innovators" and "Early Adopters" by the end of the course.
CONCLUSION
This study demonstrated the effectiveness of a structured project planning course in enhancing nursing students' individual innovativeness, especially in areas such as opinion leadership and risk-taking. While the impact on critical thinking motivation and lifelong learning was limited, emerging trends point to the potential for improvement with broader and more sustained application. These findings support the integration of structured project planning course into nursing education, emphasizing the value of combining theoretical instruction with practical research experiences.
M. Tunçer, Nurten Özen· Nurse Education Today· 0 citations
BACKGROUND
Nursing education has long relied on rigid, protocol-driven teaching methods rooted in dominant historical models that emphasize memorization over meaningful understanding. These approaches no longer meet the demands of today's health care environment, where nurses must demonstrate critical thinking, creativity, and cultural responsiveness, autonomy, and advocacy. This review sought to synthesize evidence-informed pedagogical approaches that intentionally integrate both divergent thinking and convergent thinking into nursing education.
METHOD
A rapid review was conducted using CINAHL and PubMed databases to identify articles on pedagogies that elevate diverse student voices, foster independent critical and creative thinking, and promote advocacy. Relevant sources meeting predetermined inclusion criteria were reviewed.
RESULTS
Twenty sources were reviewed. Findings show that students develop stronger critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills when learning moves beyond memorization and incorporates complex, socially grounded experiences.
CONCLUSION
Purposeful use of divergent thinking pedagogies produce independent nurse thinkers, leaders, and advocates necessary for today's health care.
Modupe Akintomide, Patricia M Schoon· The Journal of Nursery Educa...· 0 citations
PurposeThe purpose of this project was to determine if there was a change in nursing students' self-perceived caring efficacy in a holistically endorsed BSN program. The curriculum embraced Unitary Human Caring Science (UHCS) and engaged students in self-care practices and caring literacy.DesignA retrospective quantitative study at a private Midwest university used undergraduate nursing student reported scores on the Coates Caring Efficacy Scale.MethodsNursing students completed the self-assessment at the beginning of the program and at the end of their final semester. Data were collected via Qualtrics and analyzed using SPSS.FindingsThere was a significantly higher mean of reported students' caring efficacy scale scores at the end of their senior semester compared to their first semester.ConclusionEducators are empowered to design curriculum grounded in holistic theory, such as UHCS, and incorporate components such as self-care, self-compassion, and self-reflection in order to enhance caring and compassion for patients.
Elizabeth A Cunniff, J. Perkins, Cynthia Dols Finn et al.· Journal of Holistic Nursing· 0 citations