Abstract: Objective To evaluate the effect of note-taking based on mind map in the after-class learning of medical nursing course. Methods Two classes of all the 2015 grade full-time undergraduate nursing students in a Fujian Medical University were divided into the experimental class and the control class randomly. The experimental class adopted note-taking based on mind map ,while the control class used traditional note-taking for after class learning in medical nursing for one year. Self-directed learning instrument for nursing students (SDLINS) and the critical thinking disposition inventory-Chinese version(CTDI-CV) were used to assess students' abilities of self-directed learning and critical thinking. In addition, the scores of the final examination were compared at the end of the course . Results After the end of the course, the score of SDLINS in the experimental class (73.38±8.81) was significantly higher than that of the control class (70.10±8.46), as well as the scores of CTDI-CV (244.42±25.63) in the experimental class and (237.34±24.95) in the control class(t=2.978,P=0.003;t=2.163,P=0.032). However, the mean scores of the final examination in the experimental class and the control class respectively were (68.00±9.23) and (69.35±9.53) in medical nursing course, and the difference was not statistically significant (t=1.143, P=0.254). Conclusions The application of note-taking based on mind map note in after class learning can improve students' self-directed learning ability and their critical thinking ability.

Key words: Mind map, Nursing education, Self-directed learning, Critical thinking