This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the mind mapping method in enhancing critical thinking and problem-solving skills among nursing students. The study will be conducted with 65 nursing students enrolled in a "Critical Thinking in Nursing" course at Gazi University during the 2025-2026 academic year. Participants will be assigned to experimental and control groups using stratified randomization based on pre-test scores from the "Marmara Critical Thinking Tendencies Scale" and the "Problem-Solving Inventory."

The five-week intervention focuses on five clinical case studies: infection control, medication administration, patient safety, ethical issues, and systematic approaches. While both groups receive the same theoretical content, they follow different practical methodologies:

The Control Group will engage in standard case analysis methods. The Experimental Group will work in small teams (4-5 students) to create and present visual mind maps for each case study, using either traditional or digital tools.

Following the intervention, both groups will complete post-tests to assess changes in their critical thinking and problem-solving competencies.

Mind maps consist of a network of interconnected concepts designed to uncover creative connections between ideas. As two-dimensional visual learning tools, they bridge a student's prior knowledge with newly acquired information. This note-taking technique emphasizes creativity and visual representation and has increasingly transitioned into computer-based environments with technological advancements.

This study employs a randomized controlled experimental design to evaluate the effectiveness of mind mapping in enhancing nursing students' critical thinking and problem-solving skills. A power analysis was performed using the G*Power Version 3.1.9.7 program based on the 80 students enrolled in the course during the 2025-2026 academic year to determine the sample size. In a similar study in the literature the mean and standard deviation data for the pre-test (94.52 ± 24.11) and post-test (84.26 ± 19.95) for the experimental group, the effect size was determined to be 0.4559608. Based on a 5% margin of error and 95% power parameters, the t-test for dependent groups determined the minimum sample size to be n=54. Taking into account potential data losses that may occur during the study process, a 20% margin was added to the sample group, and the study was planned to begin with a total of 65 participants.

Data will be gathered using a "Demographic Information Form," the "Marmara Critical Thinking Tendencies Scale," and the "Problem-Solving Inventory." Researchers developed five distinct case studies covering infection control, medication administration, patient safety/medical errors, ethical issues, and systematic approaches. Each case includes specific questions regarding fundamental nursing roles and risk areas.

All students will complete the demographic form and pre-tests. Eligible volunteers will then be randomized into experimental and control groups, stratified by their average pre-test scores.The intervention will span five weeks during the scheduled "Critical Thinking in Nursing" course. Following a 40-50 minute theoretical lecture, the groups will move to separate classrooms:

Control Group: Students will continue with the standard curriculum, analyzing the cases using traditional methods under the instructor's guidance.

Experimental Group: Students will be divided into small groups (4-5 members) to create visual mind maps for each weekly topic. They will have 20-30 minutes to develop their maps-using either paper and pen or web-based tools-followed by group presentations and discussions.

After five weeks, post-tests will be administered to all participants. Data will be analyzed using SPSS version 23, with a significance level set at p < 0.05.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Students who are enrolling in the Critical Thinking in Nursing course for the first time and
• who volunteer to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

• Students who have previously taken the critical thinking course
• The student's refusal to continue participating in the study or failure to complete the data collection forms.