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Reflective practice in nursing care: Embedded assumptions in qualitative studies
Author(s) -
Gustafsson Christine,
Asp Margareta,
Fagerberg Ingegerd
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
international journal of nursing practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.62
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1440-172X
pISSN - 1322-7114
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-172x.2007.00620.x
Subject(s) - nursing , qualitative research , reflective practice , nursing care , medicine , nursing research , reflective thinking , focus group , nurse education , nursing practice , psychology , sociology , pedagogy , social science , anthropology
Qualitative nursing researchers have long recognized that reflective practice (RP) seems to be a valuable tool in nursing care. The aim of the present meta‐study was to analyse current qualitative research on RP in nursing care, in order to create and synthesize the knowledge and the understanding of registered nurses' RP. Using a meta‐study synthesis approach, embedded assumptions were identified in qualitative studies that have influenced the way researchers have interpreted and made sense of RP in nursing care. Despite empirical focus in research on RP in nursing care, it was found that assumptions about RP were predominantly based on theory. The reflective movement within the practice of nursing care has mainly a constructivist epistemology, based on learning from experience. The individual nurse's RP capability is essential in providing and improving ethical and holistic nursing care.