Paper
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
545
Enhancing Critical Thinking through Care Mapping
Eileen Wood Werdman, MSN, RN, CNS, Nancy Henne Batchelor, MSN, RNc, CNS, and Jeanine Karle Swails, MSN, CNRN, CNS. University of Cincinnati College of Nursing, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| Learning Objective #1: Describe the use of the care map to develop clinical reasoning skills and promote critical thinking. |
| Learning Objective #2: Discuss student's perception on the use of the care map to prepare the student for care of their assigned patient. |
Historically, students find completing our current nursing process tool related to patient care a rote exercise – busy work. Standard nursing process tools fail to enhance or promote clinical reasoning as the design is fragmented by information being placed in several different sections on separate pages. By introducing care maps, information is arranged in logical components on the map allowing the student to make inferences about the current reason for hospitalization in relationship to previous hospitalizations and past medical history. The map incorporates adult learning principles into clinical teaching. Thus, allowing the student to use individual learning styles and creativity to develop a plan of care that encompasses the interrelationships between the patient’s current reason for hospitalization and co-morbidities. This tool assists the student to develop a process of thinking, validates their current knowledge base, and identifies gaps in knowledge. The critical thinking used in the development of nursing care maps assists the student to build clinical reasoning skills. These skills are used to formulate clinical judgments and decisions about nursing care. The student is able to examine multiple possibilities and make decisions about patient care supported by rationale. The end result of care map use compels the student to be an active member of the health care team instead of a passive observer. Students report an increase in self confidence in discussion of patient care issues with the other members of the health care team including informal teaching for patients and families. The student’s involvement in a patient's care truly benefits the patient’s journey towards wellness. The use of the care map as a teaching strategy brings evidence- based teaching to the students in the clinical setting and classroom and strengthens their understanding of pathology and patient care management.