This presentation introduces a study that will test the effects of concept map-based care plans on nursing students' critical thinking skills. The study will involve 44 first-year nursing students split into an experimental group that creates four concept map care plans and a control group that creates four traditional written care plans. Both groups' first and fourth care plans will be scored using a critical thinking evaluation tool, with the expected outcome being that the experimental group will score higher after using concept map care plans, which are hypothesized to promote meaningful learning and critical thinking. The presentation provides background on issues with traditional lengthy care plans and evidence that concept mapping can improve learning and critical thinking.