This longitudinal study was done to investigate critical thinking dispositions and critical thinking skills of nursing students enrolled in a 4-year baccalaureate program at a university in Korea.

The study used a longitudinal design. A convenience sample of 32 nursing students who were completing their 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year in a baccalaureate program at a selected university was included. The subjects completed the California Critical Thinking Dispositions Inventory (CCTDI), the California Critical Thinking Skill Test (CCTST), and a demographic questionnaire. Data was analyzed by descriptive statistics, repeated ANOVA, adjusted p-values, and Pearson's correlation coefficient with SAS 8.12.

There was statistically significant improvement according to academic year in the CCTDI total mean score (F=7.54, p= .0001) and subscales of Open-mindedness, Self-confidence, and Maturity. Contrarily, no statistically significant difference was found in the CCTST total mean score and subscales' score except Analysis.

There is no significant correlation between critical thinking dispositions and skills, so it will be necessary to repeat a study like this, and the translated instruments should be modified by considering Korean culture.

This study was done to develop standards for dementia care as a baseline for professional nurses to provide a framework for dementia care evaluation.

The dementia care standards were developed through a literature review and focus group discussions. According to the Delphi method, the data analysis was conducted using the Content Validity Index (CVI).

The final set of 18 standards on dementia care was developed through one round of CVI. The standards included four structural standards: 'Organization of nursing system', 'Operating system', 'Management of human resources', 'Management of material resources', 13 procedural standards: 'Advanced assessment', 'Nursing diagnosis', 'Nursing plan', 'Advanced nursing implementation', 'Evaluation', 'Education', 'Research', 'Consultation', 'Counseling and cooperation', 'Development of specialty', 'Utilizing resources', 'Nursing quality assurance', 'Ethics', and one standard concerning outcome ('Evaluation of nursing tasks in care of patients with dementia'). The final set of 55 criteria on care of patients with dementia was confirmed through two rounds of CVI. The final 171 indicators were confirmed through four rounds of CVI.

These dementia care standards provides a framework that allows registered nurses to clarify their roles and tasks in the care of patients with dementia and provides evaluation criteria.