Critical thinking is a vital skill in the field of nursing. “The acquisition of critical thinking skills enables bedside application of nursing theory, education, experience, and evidence-based practice” (Orique & McCarthy, 2015, p. 455). However, it can be rather challenging for professors to teach critical thinking. Orique and McCarthy (2015) explore the use of nontraditional instructional tools, such as concept mapping and problem based learning, to determine how critical thinking can be taught most effectively to nursing students. Orique and McCarthy (2015) describe concept maps as visual tools that aid students in organizing and connecting patient information, and problem based learning as collaboration in small groups to seek patient care solutions.
“The study was conducted in fall 2013 at a university located in the western United States” (Orique & McCarthy, …show more content…
During weeks six and seven, the researchers “taught the nursing process and fundamentals of care plan development to the participants” (Orique &McCarthy, 2015, p.456). Based on only introducing the traditional critical thinking model of developing a care plan, a pretest was administered at week 8 and a posttest at week 9, the students scored a phase 2 both times based on HCTSR (Orique & McCarthy, 2015, p.456). “At semester week 10, concept mapping was introduced and used to facilitate learning of the nursing process and care plan development” (Orique & McCarthy, 2015, p.456). On week 11 of the semester, problem based learning was introduced and taught with concept mapping; a pretest was also administered (Orique & McCarthy, 2015, p.456). Students in the study were graded a phase four based on the HCTSR indicating strong critical thinking on their pretest at week 11 and their posttest at week 12 (Orique & McCarthy, 2015, p. 456). The student scores on the HCTSR continually improved with the addition of nontraditional instructional