Nursing Dx

Have you ever asked yourself whether you are more right-brained or left-brained? Those who naturally use their left brains are more linear in their thinking. Right-brain thinkers see more in pictures and illustrations. It is best for nurses to use the whole brain (right and left) when thinking about providing the broad scope of nursing care to clients.

No More Columns!

Traditional nursing care plans are linear—that is, they are designed in columns. They speak almost exclusively to the left brain. The traditional nursing care plan is organized according to the nursing process, which guides us in problem-solving the nursing care we give. However, the linear nature of the traditional plan does not facilitate interconnecting data from one “row” to another or between parts in a column. Concept mapping allows us to show the interconnections between various client symptoms, interventions, or problems as they impact each other.

You can keep the parts that are great about traditional care plans (problem-solving and categorizing) but change the linear/columnar nature of the plan to a design that uses the whole brain—bringing left-brained, linear problem-solving together with the freewheeling, interconnected, creative right brain. Joining concept mapping and care planning enables you to create a whole picture of a client with all the interconnections identified.

There are several diverse and innovative ways to mind map or to concept map nursing care plans. he examples in this chapter use mind mapping and require placing the client at the center, with all ideas on one page (for a whole picture); the examples also use color-coding and creative energy. When doing a large mapped plan of care, a light posterboard is often used so that all ideas fit on one page.

Components of a Concept Map

Tony Buzan developed the idea of concept mapping, a way to depict how ideas about a main subject are related. Mapping represents graphically the relationships and interrelationships of ideas and concepts. It fosters and encourages critical thinking through brainstorming about a particular subject.

Instead of starting at the top of the page, concept mapping starts in the page’s center. The main concept of our thinking goes in this center stage place.

From that central thought, simply begin thinking of other main ideas that relate to the central topic. These ideas radiate out from the central idea likes spokes of a wheel (see subsequent discussion); however, they do not have to be added in a balanced manner; the “wheel” does not have to be round.

You will generate further ideas related to each spoke (see subsequent discussion); and your mind will race with even more ideas from those thoughts, which can be represented through pictures or words.

As you think of new ideas, write them down immediately. This may require going back and forth from one area of the page to another. Writing your concept map by hand allows you to move faster. Avoid using a computer to generate a map because this hinders the fast-paced process. You can group different concepts together by color-coding or by placement on the page (see subsequent discussion).

As you see connections and interconnections between groups of ideas, use arrows or lines to connect those concepts (refer to the dotted lines). You can also add defining phrases that explain how the interconnected thoughts relate to one another, as in the following figure.

Some left-brain thinkers find it very difficult to start their ideas in the middle of a page. If you are this type of thinker, try starting at the top of the page (see subsequent discussion), but you must still represent your ideas in illustration form, not in paragraphs.

oncept maps created by different people look different. They are unique to the mind’s eye picture so don’t expect your map to be the same as someone else’s.