The Effect of a Short Term Course of Problem Solving on Self-Concept of Nursing Students at Shiraz Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery

Introduction: Teaching problems solving skills is not formally included in educational programs of nursing students. On the other hand, fostering self-concept in nurses is an issue which has to be considered. This study was performed to determine the effect of a short problem solving course on nursing students’ self concept in Shiraz Nursing and Midwifery School. Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 54 volunteer nursing students were randomly divided into two experiment and control groups and their self-concept was measured by “Carl Rogers self-concept inventory”. The experiment group was divided into 3 small groups to participate in group discussions based on D’zurilla and Goldried problem solving methods. The control group received the routin theoretical and practical training. One month later, self-concept of the two groups was measured again. Results: One month after completing the course, comparing the self-concept of the two groups, , showed a significant difference. There was a significant difference between the mean score of self-concept, in the experiment group, before and one month after the intervention this difference was not significant in the control group. Conclusion: In general, implementation of the problem-solving course was a successful experience that resulted in the improvement of self-concept. Therefore, this kind of problem solving education is recommended in nursing educational programs.