Reflection: a reflex action?

Nursing appears to be regularly subjected to new and 'fashionable' ideas and practices, many of which come from the USA. Examples of these include the nursing process and models of nursing. In the pursuit of professionalization of nursing, the need for such innovations is supported by the author. What cannot be supported, however, is the haphazard way in which some of these initiatives are often badly introduced and accepted into the profession in the absence of any research supporting their benefits. This article seeks to explore the notion of reflective practice, some of the reasons it has been introduced, as well as some of the problems associated with investigating its benefits. The different types of reflective practice are discussed along with their implications for professional practice. Attempts are made to explain the difference between reflection and the mere recall of events, as well as some possible explanations as to why reflective practice has not been embraced by clinical nurses in the way it should or could have. Finally, the subject of how reflective practice could be practically implemented in clinical areas is discussed and an example for a model of reflection given.