STUDENT REFLECTIVE GROUPS AT A SCOTTISH-COLLEGE-OF-NURSING

In this paper student views on reflective groups, set up as an importa nt element of the new Project 2000 course in a Scottish College of Nur sing, are reported, A random sample of 19 students were interviewed, W hile the reflective groups were very popular with students because the y provided support, there was little evidence of a linkage between the ory and practice, It was clear that the ambitious objective of stimula ting reflection-on-action was not attained, Practice certainly was dis cussed, but it tended to be dominated by dramatic and emotionally char ged aspects of care rather than the more frequent routine concerns, Th ere were, however, indications that the original aim of the reflective groups could be achieved if tutors could establish a common understan ding of the purpose of the groups and of reflection, and if the practi ces on which students reflected consisted less of single day visits wh ere the students saw themselves as nonparticipant outsiders.