Professional Experience Placement

This article about the reflective practitioner (Schon 1983) by Comer (2015) seeks to query reflection-in-action and on-the-spot experimentation discussed by Shon (1983). Comer argues that these activities need to be revisited in nursing education. The rationale for this stance is revealed to the reader by the author who uses Schon’s writings (1983) to show that for knowing-in-action to be possible requires practice to be stable. Additionally, stable practice does not guarantee increasingly skilful performance. Comer identifies that Schon indicated that as knowing-in-practice becomes tacit and spontaneous, the practitioner may miss important opportunities, become bored and ‘burn-out’. On-the-spot experimentation is another area that Comer (2015) critiqued. The phrase on-the-spot is becoming redundant the more virtual worlds are used instead of real-world interactions to learn about nursing. Comer comments that using virtual interactions to learning nursing is paradoxical as these situations are controlled and can be paused. The author queries whether these situations do enable learning that can be transferred to the practice world which is inherently unstable, chaotic and uncertain. Comer concludes by seeking others to consider there may be other valid ways of understanding reflective practice.

Clinical supervisors mentor students in both reflection-in-action and on-the-spot experimentation as strategies for learning. Comer’s view is interesting as it challenges thinking about how undergraduate programs prepare students for the practice environment. Clinical supervisors are required to assess student progress and capacity for indirect supervision for undertaking nursing activities. Comer’s argument about knowing-in-practice and on-the-spot experimentation can be applied to some students in the practice environment, but whether this is due to the opportunity to practice in nursing labs or simulation environments is yet to be determined.  It would be interesting to pursue this perspective through further research.  If you have any comments about this perspective you are welcome to post them here.  Please join us @PEPCommunity.