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A framework guiding critical thinking through reflective journal documentation: A Middle Eastern experience
Author(s) -
Simpson Elaine,
Courtney Mary
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.2007.00629.x
Subject(s) - journaling file system , documentation , practicum , critical thinking , preceptor , metacognition , psychology , reflective writing , medical education , nursing , reflective practice , journal writing , medicine , pedagogy , teaching method , computer science , cognition , data file , database , neuroscience , programming language
The purpose of this paper is to present a framework to guide critical thinking through reflective journaling, and describe how a group of 20 Middle Eastern nurses used reflective journaling to enhance their practice. Journal documentation was used during clinical practicum to foster the development of critical thinking in order to assist nurses when analysing and evaluating their clinical experiences. The findings from this study demonstrated that nurses accepted the framework for journal documentation because it provided structure for reflection, speculation, synthesis and metacognition of events experienced during clinical practice. Journaling gave nurses the opportunity to transfer thoughts onto paper and write down subjective and objective data, and created dialogue between the nurse educators and nurses. They were engaged in productive and positive activity to enhance their nursing practice. Nurses also commented that writing helped to develop their confidence in writing English.