Relationship between thinking and problem solving styles in nursing students

People use different style to show their talents. One usage could be thinking and problem solving style. Nursing students have learning activities in emergency and acute situation that require thinking and problem solving talents. The aim of the study is measuring relationship between thinking and problem solving styles. A correlational study conducted on 148 students studying in Bachelor of Science Program in Nursing from Mashhad Nursing and Midwifery faculty in 2011، chosen convenience sampling. Data collected by valid and reliable Sternberg-Wagner Thinking Style Inventory and KAI Inventory، and analyzed by descriptive and analytical statistic such as t-test، ANOVA، and Pearson Coefficient test in Significance level of (0. 05 and 0. 01)، by SPSS version 11. 5. Thinking style of nursing students was based on «functions»، «forms»، «levels»، «scopes»، and «leanings» dimensions in judicial (22. 49)، anarchic (22. 29)، global (18. 63)، external (20. 15)، and liberal (19. 37) styles respectively. Depending on each style a specific behavior were noticed in students. Furthermore this study revealed that there were no significant relationship between thinking and problem solving styles except for conservative style (p=0. 042). Thinking Styles and decision-making styles of nursing students are recognized and the efforts to use of the functions، forms، levels، scopes and leanings until have maximum exploited.