NURSE EDUCATORS PERCEPTIONS OF REFLECTION AND REFLECTIVE PRACTICE - AREPORT OF A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY

The concepts of reflection and reflective practice have been widely di scussed in the nursing literature. Only a small amount of that literat ure reports research studies. This paper offers the findings of a qual itative and descriptive study in which 12 nurse educators from various teaching institutions were interviewed about reflection and reflectiv e practice. The report identifies the findings of the study under the following headings: reflection in nurse education, reflective practice in nurse education, nursing and the use of reflection, advantages and disadvantages of reflection and teaching reflective practice. While m any of the respondents reported positively and enthusiastically about reflection, a number also expressed views about its being a 'fashionab le' concept and one, as yet, of unproven value. Various suggestions ar e made for further research in this field.