Concept Map instructions The purpose of this assignment is to create a graduate-level concept map of a condition you will see as an APRN in your practice. A concept map is a diagram or visual outline

Concept Map instructions

The purpose of this assignment is to create a graduate-level concept map of a condition you will see as an APRN in your practice. A concept map is a diagram or visual outline detailing pathophysiological concepts and the cellular-level significance of a selected disease. This allows you to explore the physiology of a condition in-depth and the resulting changes in normal pathology and physical exam findings.

Instructions

In Week 1 you selected a pathophysiologic condition and were required to obtain faculty approval. To complete this project, create a concept map (Word document or PDF) illustrating the nature of the disease. Be sure to include:

1. The etiology (risk factors) and common causes of the pathological condition.
2. The prevalence of the disease (statistics), including worldwide distribution.
3. The severity of the disease (morbidity, mortality).
4. Physical exam findings associated with the condition. Be specific on how each exam finding is created by the pathological changes by using your arrow connections.
5. Common laboratory or diagnostic abnormalities associated with the condition. Be specific and show how each laboratory abnormality is created by the pathological condition and what you would expect to see as the APRN. It is not enough to say “low hemoglobin,” for example. Start thinking like an APRN and use actual values (Hgb <8.0 mg/dl, SaO₂ <90%, CXR with bilateral lower lobe infiltrates, etc.). Link these findings to your physical exam findings and the cellular changes that lead to them using your arrow connections.
6. The pathophysiology of the disease to the cellular level. This is different from etiology. Rather, this is what changes happen at the cellular level in this specific disease process. Start broad and work to the most specific as you move outward or downward. For example: Trunk of tree → branches of tree → stems on branches → leaves on stems.
7. A brief discussion of treatment and management of the chosen disease process. 
8. Demonstrate (with arrows) the interconnections of all of these items. It is okay if this makes it look messy, as long as the boxes remain readable. Remember, this map should be comprehensive, as it demonstrates your critical thinking into how things are related.
9. You must cite all concepts within your map using APA 7th edition in-text citations and provide a separate reference list in a Word document that follows APA 7th edition professional format. A minimum of two scholarly references are required; there is no maximum. You may use as many scholarly resources as needed to provide a comprehensive map. Sources that are not accepted include Medscape, WebMD, Wikipedia, Healthline, and so forth. Your sources must be scholarly—think journals, textbooks, UpToDate, PubMed, NIH.gov, and so on.

In the past, students have used MindMup, Miro, and MindMeister as mapping software for this project. There is no need to pay for anything. You can work to completion on the map, then take a screenshot if the software doesn’t allow free download. You can also use Word or PowerPoint and create your own map using boxes or a template. (You can Google “free concept map template” for Word or PowerPoint and use a created template.) You can also submit a handwritten version as long as it is readable. Regardless of the format, please be sure that the faculty can easily zoom in and read the text in your boxes and that all of the map fits on your viewable page.

Please note that use of AI is prohibited on this assignment. If AI use is suspected, student will receive a zero on this assignment and be reported to the Office of Academic Integrity. Use of your or another student’s previous map constitutes plagiarism/cheating and will be handled in the same manner.  Concept Maps will be put through TurnItIn for faculty review. 

Concept Map Student Examples

Below are examples of concept maps created by students who earned an A on this assignment. Your map does not need to look exactly like these, but they should give you an approximate idea of the level of detail and complexity your map should contain. Keep in mind that some conditions will be more detailed than others due to the nature of the pathophysiology of that disease. In some of these examples the connecting arrows may have been removed for clearer visualization of the boxes but were present when the student submitted their map along with a reference page.

 

Rubric is linked below

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Concept Map Rubric
Concept Map Rubric
Criteria	Ratings	Pts
Comprehensiveness and Completeness of Concept Map Concept map includes (with graduate-level detail): 1. Etiology/risk factors/causes of chosen disease, 2. Physical exam findings, 3. Laboratory and diagnostic findings with expected values/data, 4. Pathophysiologic changes to the cellular level, 5. Morbidity/mortality, 6. Prevalence (statistics), and 7. Brief discussion of treatment/management.	70 to >65 pts Exemplary Fully answers all the focus questions presented in the assignment instructions with scholarly graduate-level rigor and comprehensiveness. 65 to >50 pts Satisfactory Adequately addresses questions presented in the assignment instructions but missing detail or comprehensiveness in some areas. 50 to >0 pts Unsatisfactory Inadequately addresses questions presented in the assignment instructions or is not comprehensive or graduate-level work.	/ 70 pts
Critical Thinking Connections (arrows) are present between concepts (explaining the why). Complexity of the map should be high and at the graduate level.	20 to >16 pts Exemplary Demonstrates logical, thorough, and accurate interconnections of disease pathology. 16 to >10 pts Satisfactory Demonstrates some logical, thorough, and accurate interconnections of disease pathology but missing connections between some concepts. 10 to >0 pts Unsatisfactory Does not demonstrate logical, thorough, and accurate interconnections of disease pathology.	/ 20 pts
Professionalism/Format Format of concept map is clear/readable. In-text citations are cited correctly in map and reference page included following APA 7th edition format. Two scholarly references are provided.	10 to >7 pts Exemplary Format is clear and readable and flows logically (can follow it easily). Fully supports conclusions using in-text APA citations. Reference page provided and follows APA 7th edition format. Two scholarly references used. 7 to >5 pts Satisfactory Provides some support for conclusions but minor issues with APA format, grammar, professional appearance, or flow. All references may not be scholarly sources. 5 to >0 pts Unsatisfactory Does not provide support for conclusions using in-text citations, or significant issues with APA format, grammar, or professionalism. Map unreadable or unable to be downloaded/viewed. References and/or reference page missing.	/ 10 pts
Total Points: 0