title: Student learning with concept mapping of care plans in community-based education.
abstract: Concept mapping, a learning strategy used to understand key concepts and relationships between concepts, has been suggested as a method to plan and evaluate nursing care. The purpose of this study was to empirically test the effectiveness of concept mapping for student learning and the students' satisfaction with the strategy. A quasi-experimental pre- and posttest design was used to examine the content of concept maps of care plans constructed by junior-level baccalaureate students (n = 23) at the beginning and end of a community-based mental health course. Additionally, students completed a questionnaire to self-evaluate their learning and report their satisfaction with concept mapping. Findings indicated that concept mapping significantly improved students' abilities to see patterns and relationships to plan and evaluate nursing care, and most students (21/23) expressed satisfaction in using the strategy. This study supported concept mapping as an additional learning strategy and has extended knowledge in community-based nursing education.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO, USA. susanhinck@missouristate.edu
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hinck
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Webb
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sims-Giddens
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Helton
authors.forename: Kathryn L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Hope
authors.forename: Rose
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Utley
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Savinske
authors.forename: Elizabeth M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Fahey
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yarbrough
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001296:Audiovisual Aids / Q000592:standards*; D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000193:education*; D003210:Concept Formation; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006694:Holistic Health; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D015146:Midwestern United States; D009733:Nursing Diagnosis; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009736:Nursing Process; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010347:Patient Care Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000193:education; D012647:Self-Assessment; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013850:Thinking; D013997:Time Factors