Concept Mapping: A Critical-Thinking Approach to Care Planning

Reviewer:Carole Ann Kenner, DNS, MSN, BSN(Northeastern University Bouve College of Health Sciences)
Description:This unique book addresses care planning from the concept mapping perspective. It uses this process to help students develop holistic and comprehensive plans and employ critical thinking throughout the process.
Purpose:The purpose is to help students synthesize pertinent assessment data by using a concept mapping technique. The concept map approach is useful from a faculty and student perspective to visualize the key points that the care plan needs to address. These worthy objectives are met.
Audience:The primary audience is the undergraduate student.
Features:The book's format follows the steps of the nursing process. It uses the concept mapping process to illustrate each step of care planning. The humorous way the author approaches the subject lends itself to a strong teaching/learning process. For example, the first chapter is "Twas the Night before Clinical" and the last chapter "When the Clinical Day is Over: Patient and Self Evaluation." This method of teaching addresses exactly how a clinical student approaches clinical preparation, the actual day, and post conference time. There is a clear and concise chapter on documentation. Each chapter has illustrations that are color coded to make key points stand out. The appendixes contain a quick reference for nursing diagnoses arranged according to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, nursing diagnoses arranged by Gordon's Functional Health Patterns, and finally the NANDA list.
Assessment:This is one of the best nursing care plan books I have seen. It is much better than the average nursing planning book as it captures the reader's attention and uses a unique method of teaching concept mapping. This tool is also wonderful for faculty to use as they look at their curriculum and how the nursing process is covered in their courses. Competing books include Nursing Care Plans and Documentation: Nursing Diagnoses and Collaborative Problems, 3rd edition, by Carpenito (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 1999); Nursing Care Plans: Guidelines for Individualizing Patient Care, 6th Edition, by Doenges, et al. (F.A. Davis , 2002); and Nursing Care Plans: Nursing Diagnosis and Intervention, 4th Edition, by Gulanick et al. (Mosby, 1998).

Designed to help medical students develop the skills needed to present care plans, this book provides the tools for assessing patients' condition, identifying problems, and recommending a course of treatment. Specifically, the book describes a means of visualizing the inter-relations between medical diagnoses, nursing diagnoses, assessment data, and treatments. Four case scenarios are integrated with the text, so students can apply the approach outlined. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

3 Stars from Doody