title: A framework guiding critical thinking through reflective journal documentation: a Middle Eastern experience.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Churches of Christ Care, Bardon, Queensland, Australia. elaine_phd@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Simpson
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Courtney
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004282:Documentation / Q000379:methods; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000379:methods*; D004644:Emotions; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D019359:Knowledge; D008877:Middle East; D017145:Models, Educational; D019303:Multilingualism; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009736:Nursing Process; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D010687:Philosophy, Nursing; D011340:Problem Solving; D015397:Program Evaluation; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012647:Self-Assessment; D013850:Thinking; D014956:Writing