Clinical concept maps in nursing education: An effective way to link theory and practice.

Historically, nursing care plans have been utilized in nursing education to identify actual and potential health problems. The rigid structure of these plans often makes it challenging for students to assimilate data to identify and understand the many diverse patient problems. To promote critical thinking, improve problem-solving skills and foster understanding of the interrelationships among patient's health concerns, second year baccalaureate students developed and implemented concept maps using the nursing process in the clinical setting. An overview of what concept maps are, how the concept maps were developed and utilized in the clinical setting, implications for clinical teaching and outcomes of the experience are highlighted.