The Impact of Concept Mapping on Caring Efficacy of Palestinian Nursing Students at Clinical Setting

Abstract

Background: The rapid change of health care delivery affirms the need for a change in the culture of nursing education through identifying the challenge to nursing faculty that many teach in the way they were taught, and suggesting a focus on the exploration of new teaching methods and student learning, rather than only focus on content coverage. Objectives: To examine the impact of concept mapping on caring efficacy of Palestinian nursing students. Methods: A quasi-experimental design, pre-post test, two groups (intervention and control group) were used. Convenience sample of 80 (40 participants in each group) nursing students from Arab American University, Jenin. Caring Efficacy was measured by Caring Efficacy Scale. The statistical tests such as t-test (independent and paired t-test) were used to examine the effect of concept mapping on caring efficacy of the fourth year nursing students at their clinical training. Results: Independent-samples t-test revealed statistically significant differences between the two groups in caring efficacy (t = 2.589, df = 78, P = 0.011); students in the intervention group showed higher level of caring efficacy than students in the control group during their clinical training. Conclusion: Concept mapping was found to be an effective teaching method for nursing students. The use of concept mapping is useful in enhancing meaningful learning.