Reflective capacity in nurses in specialist education: Swedish translation and psychometric evaluation of the Reflective Capacity Scale of the Reflective Practice Questionnaire

Further development of the reflective practice questionnaire

Background

This article provides an update of the Reflective Practice Questionnaire (RPQ). The original RPQ consisted of 40-items with 10-sub-scales. In this article, the RPQ is streamlined into a 10-item single reflective practice construct, and a 30-item extended version that includes additional sub-scales of confidence, uncertainty/stress, and work satisfaction.

Methods

A total of 501 university students filled out an online questionnaire that contained the original Reflective Practice Questionnaire, and two general measures of reflection: The Self-Reflection and Insight Scale, and the Rumination-Reflection Questionnaire.

Results

Based on factor analysis, the RPQ was streamlined into a brief 10-item version, and an extended 30-item version. Small positive correlations were found between the RPQ reflective practice measure and the two measures of general reflection, providing discriminant validity evidence for the RPQ. The RPQ was found to be sensitive to differences among industries, whereas the general measures of reflection were not. Average reflective practice scores were higher for health and education industries compared to retail and food/accommodation industries.

Translation and psychometric evaluation of the reflective capacity scale in Iranian medical education

BACKGROUND

Examining the reflective capacity in medical students is a principal step for the development of effective educational strategies to improve it. Reflection scales available in Iran are inadequate due to the lack of focus on students' willingness and tendency to participate in reflection. This study aimed at translation and psychometric evaluation of "Reflective Capacity Scale" in Iranian medical education.

METHODS

This methodological research was completed in two parts: translation and psychometric evaluation. After getting permission from the main developer of the tool, the translation process was done based on Polit and Yang model in Persian language. Then, face validity and content validity of the tool were established using a qualitative method. Construct validity was surveyed with exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis via completing the questionnaire by 320 medical students, who were selected using convenience sampling. The reliability of the tool was also checked with two methods of internal consistency and stability. The gleaned data were analyzed with SPSS20 and AMOS.

RESULTS

"Reflective Capacity Scale" includes 16 items that were retained after cross-cultural translation. Face validity and content validity were acceptable. By performing exploratory factor analysis, four factors were identified that accounted for 63.79% of the total variance. In the confirmatory factor analysis, the values of the fit indices confirmed the appropriate fit of the model. The internal consistency reliability of the whole tool was equal to 0.83 and the intra-class correlation coefficient was equal to 0.98.

CONCLUSION

The translated and validated "Reflective Capacity Scale" provides a robust tool for assessing reflective capacity among Iranian medical students. Its validity and reliability underscore its potential for measuring the reflective capacity of medical students.

Medical students' reflective capacity and its role in their critical thinking disposition

BACKGROUND

Developing reflective capacity and critical thinking is one of the prerequisites of education in health professions, especially medicine. This study aimed to determine the reflective capacity of medical students and its role in their critical thinking disposition.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional descriptive research, conducted in 2022, a total of 240 medical intern students were selected using the convenient sampling method. Data were collected using a reflective capacity questionnaire and critical thinking disposition questionnaire and analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS20.

RESULTS

The mean reflective capacity was 4.53 ± 0.50, and mean critical thinking disposition was 127.52 ± 10.85. Among the dimensions of reflection, "active self-appraisal (SA)" and "reflective with others (RO)" had the highest and lowest means, respectively. The dimensions of critical thinking disposition with the highest and lowest means were related to innovation and intellectual maturity, respectively. Reflective capacity and its dimensions were found to have a direct and statistically significant relationship with critical thinking disposition and its dimensions. Regression analysis results showed that reflective capacity accounts for 28% of students' critical thinking disposition.

CONCLUSION

The relationship between students' reflective capacity and their critical thinking disposition has rendered reflection as one of the necessary components of medical education. Thus, determining the learning activities by considering the reflection process and models will be very effective in creating and strengthening critical thinking disposition.

Exploring the Key Influencing Factors on Teachers' Reflective Practice Skill for Sustainable Learning: A Mixed Methods Study

In 2019, the United Nations released "Education for Sustainable Development for 2030", emphasizing that sustainable learning is an important component of education for sustainable development, as it can enable learners to master the knowledge and skills required to keep learning in a variety of circumstances. To better understand teachers' sustainable learning within the context of education, this study used a comprehensive method combining quantitative analysis and qualitative analysis to examine the key factors that influence teachers' reflective practice skill through educational practice for sustainable learning. A total of 349 teachers responded to the survey. Based on the quantitative results, 10 teachers were chosen for qualitative analysis. Results showed that teaching support service, peer feedback, teacher-student interaction, and personal goal orientation were found to have a significant impact on teachers' reflective practice skill, which is beneficial for promoting sustainable learning. Interestingly, the direct impact of pedagogical self-efficacy on reflective practice skill was not observed. The following qualitative research yielded five topics on teaching support service, peer feedback, teacher-student interaction, pedagogical self-efficacy, and personal goal orientation. These topics helped to explain the results of the quantitative analysis. The findings of the proposed model were conducive to understanding the mechanism that affects teachers' reflective practice skill as well as providing practical implications for teachers' sustainable learning in educational practice.

The perceived relationship between reflective learning conversation and clinical reasoning skills amongst critical care and trauma nurses: A cross sectional parallel mixed method

BACKGROUND

To enhance clinical reasoning skills and reflective practices, Hamad Medical Corporation implemented a new educational initiative known as the reflective learning conversations method. The educational method was designed to discuss reflectively post real patient experiences. The reflective conversations aim to improve nurses' practices and ensure patient safety in the critical care and trauma units.

OBJECTIVES

This study investigates the perceived relationship between reflective learning conversations method and clinical reasoning skills amongst critical care and trauma nurses, and explores how clinical reasoning skills can be developed through learning conversation activities.

DESIGN

A cross sectional parallel mixed methods study was conducted in Hamad Medical Corporation critical care and trauma units. Anonymous self-reported questionnaires were collected from 236 critical care and trauma nurses who attended the reflective learning conversation activities. Focus group interviews were concurrently conducted alongside the questionnaire survey.

RESULTS

Attending reflective learning conversations educational activities has a significantly positive impact on critical care and trauma nurses' clinical reasoning skills. Reflective practice can be promoted and enhanced through the use of reflective learning conversations method. However, attending group reflection and the fear of feeling threatened are perceived barriers to reflective learning conversations.

CONCLUSIONS

Reflective learning conversations are perceived as an effective clinical education method to enhance the clinical reasoning skills of critical care and trauma nurses. There are barriers to effective learning conversation methods which need further in depth investigations considering gender and seniority factors.

Reflective Practice in Times of Covid-19: A Tool to Improve Education for Sustainable Development in Pre-Service Teacher Training

Crisis situations such as the current Covid-19 pandemic are a catalyst for change. This study stresses the need to work towards achieving quality education, and to prepare future teachers in sustainability competencies. The research questions are related to the key competencies necessary to accelerate change and to how to increase awareness and literacy of the SDGs in higher education. A quantitative methodology aimed at improving the training of future teachers who engage in reflective and critical thinking was used. Data were gathered on the level of reflection of students from three Spanish universities. The instrument used, the Reflective Practice Questionnaire, includes concepts defined in the literature related to reflective capacity such as Reflection in Action, Reflection on Action and Reflection with Others. The results of the study provide quantitative data showing a positive impact of reflective practice on future teachers. Education for sustainable development requires participatory methods that motivate and empower students to change their behaviour. Reflective practice must be accompanied by processes of communication and supervision that encourage confidence and the desire to improve. Training future teachers in reflective practice should be a differentiating element to achieve quality education, allowing adaptation to current and future adverse situations.