Using case studies based on a nursing conceptual model to teach medical-surgical nursing.

Nurse educators are continually challenged to develop teaching strategies that enhance students' critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. Case studies are a creative learning strategy that fosters these skills through the use of in-depth descriptions of realistic clinical situations. Conceptual models of nursing provide a unique body of knowledge that can be used to guide construction of case studies and enhance application of didactic course content to nursing practice. In this column, the author discusses the use of case studies constructed within the context of the Roy adaptation model for a senior level medical-surgical nursing course.