A concept map is a visual representation of different pieces of information and the relationship between them. Nursing students use concept maps to hone their critical thinking skills and provide appropriate nursing interventions to patients.
Components
In nursing, a concept map is made up of a patient's medical problem, health assessment findings, nursing interventions and evaluation of how well the interventions worked. These pieces of information are arranged in shapes on a concept map and then linked with arrows--to make a visual diagram.
Benefits
A patient's chief complaint or medical diagnosis is placed in the center of a concept map. Assessment findings are then placed around it. Seeing a diagram with all of this information enables the nurse to identify important factors that may contribute to the patient's problem.
With this information, the nurse can plan her patient's care more appropriately, implement her plan and check for its effectiveness. A concept map also helps the nurse see relationships between certain assessment findings and she may be able to address such related findings with the same interventions.
Considerations
According to "Nursing Orientation Program Builder: Tools for a Successful New Hire Program," by Adrianne E. Avillion, Debbie Buchwach and Barbara A. Brunt et. al., concept maps do not have to be complex in nature. They can be done in simple formats with different shapes and designs.
Tags: assessment findings, concept maps, nursing interventions, pieces information, this information