Evaluating critical thinking in clinical concept maps: a pilot study

Today, the complexities in the health care system are challenging nurses to be skillful and knowledgeable critical thinkers and decision makers. To adequately prepare future nurses to meet the challenges, nurse educators must nurture and facilitate critical thinking. One strategy believed to promote critical thinking in nursing education is concept maps. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the level of critical thinking in the clinical concept maps developed by second year baccalaureate nursing students. Students enrolled in a five-week clinical practicum course were asked to submit their final concept map and participate in a focus group. The data for the study included eighteen concept maps, 1 student focus group and 1 instructor focus group. The Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric (Facione & Facione, 1994) was used to measure levels of critical thinking, and content analysis was used to analyze focus group data. Results from this study indicated that developing concept maps in the clinical setting fostered critical thinking and improved clinical preparedness.