Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 1, 2026
Modeling the Functional Network for Spatial Navigation in the Human Brain
Published on: October 13, 2023
Similarity and accuracy of mental models formed during nursing handovers: A concept mapping approach
Anat Drach-Zahavy1, Chaya Broyer1, Efrat Dagan1
1The Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health and Welfare Sciences, University of Haifa, Israel.
Background:
Shared mental models are crucial for constructing mutual understanding of the patient's condition during a clinical handover. Yet, scant research, if any, has empirically explored mental models of the parties involved in a clinical handover.
Objectives:
This study aimed to examine the similarities among mental models of incoming and outgoing nurses, and to test their accuracy by comparing them with mental models of expert nurses.
Design:
A cross-sectional study, exploring nurses' mental models via the concept mapping technique.
Participants:
40 clinical handovers.
Data Collection:
Data were collected via concept mapping of the incoming, outgoing, and expert nurses' mental models (total of 120 concept maps). Similarity and accuracy for concepts and associations indexes were calculated to compare the different maps.
Results:
About one fifth of the concepts emerged in both outgoing and incoming nurses' concept maps (concept similarity=23%±10.6). Concept accuracy indexes were 35%±18.8 for incoming and 62%±19.6 for outgoing nurses' maps. Although incoming nurses absorbed fewer number of concepts and associations (23% and 12%, respectively), they partially closed the gap (35% and 22%, respectively) relative to expert nurses' maps. The correlations between concept similarities, and incoming as well as outgoing nurses' concept accuracy, were significant (r=0.43, p<0.01; r=0.68 p<0.01, respectively). Finally, in 90% of the maps, outgoing nurses added information concerning the processes enacted during the shift, beyond the expert nurses' gold standard.
Discussion And Conclusions:
Two seemingly contradicting processes in the handover were identified. "Information loss", captured by the low similarity indexes among the mental models of incoming and outgoing nurses; and "information restoration", based on accuracy measures indexes among the mental models of the incoming nurses. Based on mental model theory, we propose possible explanations for these processes and derive implications for how to improve a clinical handover.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Types of Reports I: Hands-off Report
Following are the key components and categories of hand-off reports:
Purpose and Process:
01:29SBAR I: Understanding the Concept
Standardized methods of communication have been developed to ensure that information is...
01:15Methods of Documentation VI: Case Management Model
For example, a patient with a chronic...
01:24Nursing Process for Patient and Caregiver Teaching I: Assessment and Diagnosis
It is critical to determine the patient's learning needs during the assessment. Determination of learning needs compounds data...
01:28Formats for Nursing Documentation
Nursing Assessment Form:
• A nursing assessment form is a foundational document that captures detailed patient data from physical assessments and nursing histories.
• It includes patient demographics, medical history,...
01:29Planning Nursing Care II