PURPOSE.To examine the relationship among cognitive development, clinical knowledge, and clinical experience in nursing students.
METHODS.A survey of junior and senior baccalaureate nursing students from three Midwestern colleges (N = 55).
FINDINGS.Students' diagnostic ability increased as they gained clinical experience and clinical knowledge. However, students failed to identify many nursing diagnoses and demonstrated only moderate levels of cognitive development.
CONCLUSIONS.Nurse educators and nursing students need to change their approaches to teaching and learning to enhance students' diagnostic ability and cognitive development.
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