This article is a theoretical reflection about the possibility of the application of metacognition strategies in nursing education. Metacognition is a reflective attitude of self-awareness and control of the mental processes. The metacognition area of cognitive psychology is analyzed, focusing on the problem solving process. The importance of metacognition in education is approached with emphasis on the teacher's role as a mediator in the student's learning process, in which "learning to learn" is emphasized. Some examples of its use in different situations of nursing education such as in text reading and nursing process, are reported.
metacognition; nursing education; student's learning process; self-awareness; reflective attitude