• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.413-422
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• 2013

Purpose: This study was designed to explore the influencing factors on communication skill of nursing students and to investigate the relationship between learning style, critical thinking disposition and communication skill, Methods: The study sample was composed of 559 nursing students. Data was collected from 1st to 30th, May 2012 used a questionnaire which included Kolb's learning style inventory, critical thinking disposition inventory, communication skill inventory. The SPSS 18.0 Window program was used for descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple regression. Results: Learning styles of subjects were diverging 39.5%, accommodating 32.6%, assimilating 22.7%, and converging 5.2%. The total mean score of critical thinking disposition and communication skill was 3.58 and 3.39 respectively. The score of Critical thinking disposition(t=3.06, p=.002) and Communication skill(t=3.25, p=.002) significantly differed between clinical practice satisfaction. Communication skill was the most significant predictor and accounted for 41.3% of the variance in critical thinking disposition in nursing students. Conclusion: It is important for students to use all four learning styles rather than to rely on one style. There should be more emphasis placed on the development of positive critical thinking disposition and communication skill of nursing students.