Faculty of Education - Theses

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Toward rational reflective nursing practice: a conceptualisation of key elements of a professional development process

Anderson, Therese ( 1994)

This paper outlines key elements of Rational Reflective Nursing Practice together with the development and refinement of a conceptual model. An overview of professional development processes is also featured. The key elements of Rational Reflective Nursing Practice are identified as caring, practice dimensions, thinking, intuitive praxis, mentoring, learning and a new gender paradigm. Relevant aspects of each of these key elements are addressed. Rational Reflective Nursing Practice recognises and values "wise nurses" and nursing experience. Wise nurses are talented practitioners with extensive knowledge, skills and experience. Within the current context of clinical nursing practice, there is the potential for these wise nurses to be marginalised by younger, "better educated" nurses. Rational Reflective Nursing Practice may resolve this dilemma as it requires the co-existence of both learning and experience. Rational Reflective Nursing Practice can be viewed as an evolutionary, enabling and dynamic process which may inform and transform aspects of nursing practice.