Notably, the concept of reflection was perceived as intertwining cognitive,
affective, as well as active elements. The reflective process was
concerned with ‘critically being’ in the world of nursing and attempting to make a positive difference to it. This is similar to Barnett's (1997.1)
work on ‘critical being’, suggesting that critical people are more than
critical thinkers, being able to ‘engage with the world, with themselves,
as well as with knowledge’. Barnett'snotionof ‘critical being’ encapsulates
not only the development of critical thinking, but also the critical development
of oneself and the commitment to take action in the world. This
is important for professional education and higher education in general.
Barnett's (1997) focus was on the deconstruction of traditional notions
of critical thinking which emphasise the cognitive dimension. Barnett's
work resonates with the concept of reflection in this study as one that
includes the cognitive, affective and active. Seen in this way, reflection
has the potential to be useful to modern nursing, which requires nurses
to learn continually from the complexities of practice in order to deliver
effective and sensitive care to their patients.