Reflective assignments in mental health nursing courses : factors to consider

It is important that mental health educators are clear about the nature and practice of reflective processes and their appropriate uses and inherent challenges. Active reflection was developed as a strategy for professional self-improvement in practice-based disciplines. Some mental health nursing courses use reflective exercises as a formal student assessment component. In this article, the authors draw on their experience and the literature to identify issues relating to aspects of the course, educators, and students that are associated with incorporating reflection-related activities as compulsory assessable items in an undergraduate nursing course.