Hallett (1997) conducted 26 interviews, 12 with nursing students and 14 with their district nurse supervisors from a new program for nursing education which featured a community placement. The purpose of the interviews was to explore students’ and supervisors’ opinions of the community-based work. Students believed that confidence and the ability able to think reflectively about their practice developed only after some practice experience. Kember et al. (2000) used a 16-item questionnaire to measure reflective thinking in students, assessing four constructs as described by Mezirow (1991): habitual action; understanding; reflection; and, critical reflection. Habitual action represents action that is automatic or with little conscious thought; the remaining constructs represent.
