THE THEORY PRACTICE GAP - TAKING ISSUE WITH THE ISSUE

Theory/practice issues have a long-standing history in nurse education , and are a chronic source of controversy to which there is no easy or perfect solution, We have argued that it is the tension between theor y and practice and research which can be usefully exploited in teachin g and research. Students need to be introduced to the debates surround ing the genesis and generation of nursing knowledge, They need to gain an appreciation of what counts as nursing knowledge at different poin ts in time and the politics which drive the legitimation of nursing th eory and practice. Such an approach has much to offer in helping stude nts deal with reality shock and make sense of their experience as they confront the ambiguities, uncertainties and contradictions that chara cterize the stock-in-trade of professional life.