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Teaching Students Concept Mapping to Enhance Critical Thinking in a Mental Health Nursing Course

Janet Garwood* and Amy Hammoud

Aim: The purpose of this study was to explore the level of critical thinking of millennial nursing students enrolled in a mental health nursing course by using a constructivist approach and utilizing concept mapping as a teaching and learning tool.

Background: Nursing education should keep in pace with the advances in technology and changes in healthcare. Faculty should consider the diverse learning needs of their students when planning courses and clinical experiences. As evidence-based practice guides health care, so should it guide nursing educators when selecting teaching and learning activities. Educators might be wise to consider strategies which are proven to adequately prepare students to be safe and effective entry-level nurses.

Method: Critical thinking of students will be measured using a pre and post-HESI specialty exam, which is designed to measure the critical thinking ability of students.

Results of learning outcomes: The students exceeded the national average in 23/30 (73%) in 30 categories of critical thinking and achieved acceptable or recommended levels in 5/5 areas of critical thinking in an HESI Critical Thinking exam.

Conclusion: The outcome of the HESI critical thinking exams demonstrated that students were successful developing critical thinking, synthesis of data to guide clinical decisions and demonstrate contextualized judgment and reasoning.