survey of critical thinking and clinical decision making in nursing ‎student of kerman university

context:  the ability to think critically is an essential element in nursing education and ‎more specifically in nurses’ clinical decision making (cdm).‎ aims:  critical thinking (ct) and cdm ability as well as their relationship were ‎examined among nursing students of kerman university.‎ settings and design: study was designed in four towns: kerman, bam, jiroft, and zarand, ‎settled in kerman province.‎ materials and methods:  this research was a cross-sectional descriptive correlation study. ‎‎300 nursing students with different level of education were asked to fill two questionnaires ‎including: (1) california critical thinking skills test (cctst) and (2) lauri and salantera ‎‎(2002) cdm instrument. statistical analysis used: data were analyzed with spss12 and ‎descriptive and inferential statistics. results: nursing students yielded a low score (mean = ‎‎5/40 from 20) of ct and a mild score (mean = 12.8 from 20) of cdm. we found positively ‎correlation between male and ct and cdm score with mean score of the nursing student. ‎also cdm score in male was more than female but not significant, and jirofts cdm ‎nursing student was significantly better than other city.‎ conclusions:  although students that answers evaluation question in cctst better can ‎gave better cdm score but there isn't relationship between ct and cdm of nursing ‎student. the finding showed that mean score of nursing student ct was low. reason can be ‎either due to the defects of nursing education program, teaching, and learning strategies.‎