Using concept mapping to build clinical judgment skills

This article is a description of educational innovation that utilizes concept mapping as a teaching strategy in the development of critical thinking skills of undergraduate nursing students. A concept mapping rubric was designed using Tanner's Clinical Judgment Model to guide students (n = 8) in the construction of clinical cases for the development of appropriate clinical judgment skills. Each student evaluated the concept mapping exercise and provided feedback regarding the rubric, their understanding of the clinical situation, and the development of clinical judgment skills. The students expressed that the concept mapping activity and rubric lead them to make better clinical decisions and increased clinical judgment skills. Content analysis is the research method used to make inferences from qualitative data, with the purpose of providing new insights and clinical knowledge regarding this teaching strategy. Future recommendations for the use of this teaching strategy include shortening the wording and descriptions for each stage of evaluation to promote ease of use for the student in the growth of critical thinking skills.