1. Ajjawi, R. and Higgs, J. (2008) Learning to reason: a journey of professional socialisation. Advances in Health Sciences Education: Theory and Practice, 13(2), 133–50. Explores clinical reasoning as a skill and how it is developed within the clinical setting. Role models, mentors and colleagues all play a crucial role in the development of clinical reasoning and the processes involved align with those required for professional socialization.
2. Bulman, C., Lathlean, J. and Gobbi, M. (2013) The process of teaching and learning about reflection: research insights from professional nurse education. Studies in Higher Education, September, 1–18, doi:10.1080/03075079.2013.777413. Reports the findings from a research study investigating the process of reflection in professional nurse education. An ethnographic approach that focuses on the organizational, contextual and cultural issues impacting on the teaching and learning interactions and thereby creating a reflective culture.
3. Byszewski, A., Hendelman, W., McGuinty, C. and Moineau, G. (2012) Wanted: role models — medical students’ perceptions of professionalism. BMC Medical Education, 12(1), 115–24. Focuses on developing professionalism; one of the key findings is that students perceive that having access to a role model is crucial to their learning and professional socialization.
4. Carlson, E., Wann-Hansson, C. and Pilhammar, E. (2009) Teaching during clinical practice: strategies and techniques used by preceptors in nursing education. Nurse Education Today, 29(5), 522–6. Describes the strategies and techniques used by preceptors when teaching undergraduate student nurses. Findings demonstrated that preceptors used strategies and techniques that varied in different learning situations and with different students, thus requiring continual refinement and adjustment.
5. Chan, Z.C. (2013) A systematic review of critical thinking in nursing education. Nurse Education Today, 33(3), 236–40. Among the findings is that, over time, our conceptions of what critical thinking means, and the way it is facilitated, change. Advises that we need to regularly reflect on what we ourselves take it to mean at any given time; also presents some strategies to enhance our teaching practice.