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Identify key issues

Identifying the major issues and their causes is vital to proposing appropriate solutions later. Let's explore how we can do this.

From your annotation and note-taking you should have an understanding of what the problems are.

Summarise or list the issues in your own words

Make sure you:

  • sort the major problems from the minor problems
  • identify evidence from the case which relates to each of the problems
  • identify underlying causes of the problems.

A useful strategy to start with is to represent the problems and their relationships as a mind map.

This example is from a management case study assessment.

Management mind map - major issues and their sub-issues are listed with arrows showing relationships
Management mind map, by RMIT, licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0

In this example, the student has used the case questions to help create their mindmap as a way of organising their evidence and research.

Review the presentation and management of Mr Rogers ensuring you address the following:

  • Identify the evidence for the management of Ulcerative colitis in relation to diet and drug therapies.
  • Discuss the potential post-procedure complications you would need to monitor Mr Rogers for in the immediate recovery period.
  • Discuss the evidence for the management of GORD.
Nursing mind map - major issues and their sub-issues are listed with arrows showing relationships
Nursing mind map, by RMIT, licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0

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