The impact of combining concept-based learning and concept-mapping pedagogies on nursing students' clinical reasoning abilities

Background: Integrating contemporary teaching strategies into the nursing curriculum is an effective approach to enhance undergraduate clinical-judgment and reasoning abilities. Objective: This study aims to document the impact of blending the teaching strategies of concept-based learning and concept-mapping to enhance nursing students' clinical-reasoning abilities. Design: A quasi experimental design is used to guide data collection from second year students. Setting and participants: A consecutive sample of all students undertaking adult health nursing courses at a private university in Jordan and meeting the eligibility criteria resulted in (N = 40). Method Data was collected via a questionnaire and observation to reveal students' independence in both clinical-reasoning and clinical-judgment. General Clinical-Reasoning Behavior Scale, Independence in Clinical Reasoning and Clinical-Judgment scales were completed by the students at the beginning and end of the courses. Results: Despite requesting extensive preparation time, concept-based learning and concept-mapping as student-centered approaches enabled the move away from a content laden approach towards constructing criteria against which various patients' encounters were reflected. This study documented enhancement in students' independence in clinical-reasoning and clinical judgment as they learned to take command of the elements of their clinical-reasoning. Significant improvement in students' general clinical-reasoning behavior was also documented. Conclusion: The data collection tools utilized in this study can be used as clinical teaching aides, hence maximizing the impact of blended teaching strategies by providing the faculty with specific feedback regarding students' clinical reasoning and judgment abilities. Institutionalizing these processes by initiating relevant policies and guidelines is essential to help students take command of their clinical-reasoning, maturity, and responsibility in a practice area that is constantly changing and evolving.