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Becoming a Reflective Practitioner
Sixth Edition
Edited by
Christopher Johns
This edition first published 2022
© 2022 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Edition History Wiley‐Blackwell (5e, 2017)
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Library of Congress Cataloging‐in‐Publication Data
Names: Johns, Christopher, editor.
Title: Becoming a reflective practitioner / edited by Christopher Johns.
Description: Sixth edition. | Hoboken, NJ : Wiley, 2022. | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2021047893 (print) | LCCN 2021047894 (ebook) | ISBN 9781119764748 (paperback) | ISBN 9781119764755 (Adobe PDF) | ISBN 9781119764762 (epub)
Subjects: MESH: Philosophy, Nursing | Nurse Practitioners | Models, Nursing | Thinking
Classification: LCC RT82.8 (print) | LCC RT82.8 (ebook) | NLM WY 86 | DDC 610.7306/92–dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021047893 LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021047894
Cover Design: Wiley
Cover Image: © agsandrew/Shutterstock
PREFACE
Reflective practice matters. It matters because it opens a gateway for practitioners’ to learn and grow towards realising their potential and their visions of practice as a lived reality. A reflective practitioner is someone who lives reflection naturally within everyday practice. It is a mindful way to practice whereby the practitioner pays attention within the unfolding experience, mindful of responding most appropriately in tune with their vision. It is a process of self‐realisation. Rolling Thunder describes this as ‘seeking and knowing one’s own identity’ [Boyd 1974:7].
Reflective practitioners learn through reflection on experience. In this way, the practitioner gains insights that inform future experiences within a reflexively spiral of being and becoming. I assume that the practitioner’s practice matters to them and that values and vision are important. Hence realising one’s vision of practice as a lived reality must be the aim of every practitioner who takes themselves seriously. Recipients of service deserve nothing less.
The emphasis of this book is on becoming a reflective practitioner. Becoming is a journey. No matter the practitioner’s level of experience or status. It commences with the first reflection on experience. In the uncertainty and uniqueness of everyday practice, practitioners face situations that often feel chaotic. As Salzberg notes (2002:76)
No matter how much we want it to otherwise. The truth is that we are not in control of the unfolding of our experience. We can affect and influence and impact what happens, but we can’t wake up in the morning and decide what we will encounter and feel and be confronted by during the day.
The experience becomes less chaotic as the practitioner becomes more able to ride with chaos rather than be thrown by it. Such learning isn’t complex or difficult. Yet it does take commitment and discipline to learn in this way.
The spin‐offs are great. We become more effective, more purposeful, more motivated and satisfied, more in control of ourselves and our practice. Our lives become richer with meaning, purpose and expertise. We become more satisfied and committed. For these reasons, reflection has become a normal learning approach within the professional curriculum and, as such, demands serious consideration.
