PRACTICAL CASE STUDIES AS A TOOL FOR DEVELOPING CLINICAL THINKING IN NURSING EDUCATION
Keywords:
practical case studies, clinical thinking, nursing education, educational methodsAbstract
In contemporary nursing education, the development of clinical thinking and decision making skills is a key priority. Practical case studies are used as an effective method to apply theoretical knowledge in real or simulated clinical situations, supporting analytical thinking and professional responsibility. The aim of this study is to assess the significance of practical case studies for the development of clinical thinking and professional skills among nursing students and to explore their perception of this method. The study includes 79 students from the third and fourth years. Data was collected through an anonymous electronic questionnaire and processed using the statistical software SPSS 22. Participation was voluntary and anonymous. The results show that 83,54% of the students have worked with case studies, most often in internal medicine, surgery, and pediatrics. Of these, 83.55% rated the case studies as effective or very effective. Developed skills include clinical thinking (91,14%), decision
making (83,54%), and teamwork (74,68%). There were no statistically significant differences between students from different years. The main difficulties encountered when working with case studies were lack of time and prior knowledge. The conclusion is that practical case studies are a valuable educational tool that significantly supports the preparation of nurses by developing key competencies for clinical practice. Most students support more frequent use of this method, with an emphasis on realistic scenarios and instructor support.
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