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Abstract
Aims To ascertain whether students found reflection to be a meaningful activity, whether there are perceived benefits associated with reflective practice and whether it is a valid process on which to assess the outcomes of a course relating to the competencies of specialist practice.
Method The attitudes of students attending a one-year degree course were examined using a focus group interview and a web discussion board. The evaluation of the focus group interviews and web-based discussion postings are discussed.
Findings Reflective writing is considered a key component of portfolio assessment because it provides evidence of skills development and increasing clinical competence. There was no consensus on whether or not reflection is a meaningful activity. The students' learning style is pertinent to their perception of the usefulness of reflection.
Conclusion The findings indicated the scepticism with which some students approached the task, but they also identified that reflection had a positive impact on the practice of students more able to embrace the process in a meaningful way. There is scope to extend this work to examine the use of reflection in developing the growing body of practice knowledge that underpins nursing.
Key words
* Education: methods
* Reflective practice
These key words are based on the subject headings from the British Nursing Index. This article has been subject to double-blind review.
THE STUDY was conducted in 2003 with volunteers from a student group in their final year of a degree course in community health care nursing. This degree also incorporated a professional award in specialist community practice in either district nursing or general practice nursing. The learning outcomes for the course were those prescribed by the United Kingdom Central Council (UKCC) (2001). The curriculum comprises 50 per cent theory and 50 per cent practice, and the course is concerned with developing skills of critical thinking on practice issues.
For the practice component to be assessed the student must compile a portfolio of evidence and complete a practice placement document. The practice placement document contains 28 competencies that are required to be assessed in practice, based on the Standards for Specialist Practice (UKCC 2001). These include a broad range of competencies relating to clinical, management and leadership skills that enable the student to adopt...