The Power of Critical Reflection in Nursing: Thinking Beyond the Task List
In the demanding environment of healthcare, nurses are constantly in motion—managing medications, responding to emergencies, coordinating care, and offering emotional support. But amidst this flurry of responsibility, one essential skill often gets overlooked: critical reflection . What Is Critical Reflection? Critical reflection is the process of thoughtfully analyzing your experiences, decisions, and responses in clinical practice. It’s not about criticism or blame it is about growth, insight, and deeper understanding. As nurse educator Dr. Chris Johns puts it: “Reflection is a window through which the practitioner can view and focus self within the context of their own lived experience.” Whether it's reevaluating how you handled a high-stress patient interaction, or considering how a miscommunication affected an outcome, reflection builds the kind of professional awareness that textbooks can’t teach. Why Critical Reflection Matters in Nursing Critical thinking is part of nursi...