Reflective Practice
Reflective practice is an important element in an individual’s professional development and is one of the most basic but key means of learning from clinical experience. Jasper (2003) considers that reflective practice uses our professional experiences as the starting point for learning, and that by engaging in the conscious process of reflection we can improve our practice by relating our theoretical basis to the experience itself.
Beyond the motivations of self-development and improving patient care, the concept of reflection is enshrined in the professional standards required of many professionals, including those in the paramedic profession. Walker (1996 cited in Wikipedia, 2014) acknowledges the risk of clinical activities become habitual, risking the perception of patients as objects upon whom we perform our duties as opposed to a critical and influential element of relationship between health care providers and users. By incorporating reflective practice into our personal development we satisfy a number of the required standards set out by the regulatory body, the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), and the standards demanded of our employers.
Beyond the motivations of self-development and improving patient care, the concept of reflection is enshrined in the professional standards required of many professionals, including those in the paramedic profession. Walker (1996 cited in Wikipedia, 2014) acknowledges the risk of clinical activities become habitual, risking the perception of patients as objects upon whom we perform our duties as opposed to a critical and influential element of relationship between health care providers and users. By incorporating reflective practice into our personal development we satisfy a number of the required standards set out by the regulatory body, the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), and the standards demanded of our employers.
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There are numerous models of reflection that vary in the finer points of the reflective process, but many begin using the specific experience in question, with the goal of eliciting an action. Kolb (1984) proposed the notion of the Experiential Learning Cycle, a model of learning with four stages of a continuous cycle. Beginning with the concrete experience, the practitioner engages in the second stage of reflective observation, identifying inconsistencies between the experience and their theoretical understanding of it. Such reflection yields a new understanding or modification of the practitioner’s conceptions in a process of abstract conceptualisation, and culminates in the action of active experimentation by applying new understanding to the experience.
Gibbs (1998) model of reflection likewise begins with the experience and moves towards a positive action, but breaks the cycle down further into six stages. These are Description, Feelings, Evalutation, Description, Conclusion and Action Plan. Again, Gibbs' model uses the experience as the starting point, but further encourages us to scrutinise not only the specifics of an event and the conduct of those involved but also the emotions that affected such conduct and their impact. Gibbs actively promotes the use of subjective value judgements and arguably by doing so encourages a greater level of depth and honesty to a reflective piece than might be elicited by the use of Kolb’s model.
Gibbs (1998) model of reflection likewise begins with the experience and moves towards a positive action, but breaks the cycle down further into six stages. These are Description, Feelings, Evalutation, Description, Conclusion and Action Plan. Again, Gibbs' model uses the experience as the starting point, but further encourages us to scrutinise not only the specifics of an event and the conduct of those involved but also the emotions that affected such conduct and their impact. Gibbs actively promotes the use of subjective value judgements and arguably by doing so encourages a greater level of depth and honesty to a reflective piece than might be elicited by the use of Kolb’s model.
Rolfe et al's model (2001 cited in Lucas, 2012) is based upon three simple sections: What? So What? and Now What? It is possible to use simply the first phase as a mode of reflection, but the greatest contribution of reflective practice comes from the completion of the final phase. Exploration of the first phase encourages the reflector to again consider the experience and their feelings, actions and consequences therein as well as those of others involved. The second phase, So What? asks the reflector of what this implies about their knowledge, experience, and looks to identify areas of deficit in understanding or theoretical concept. In the final phase, the reflective practitioner considers what can be done to improve the experience, and to consider broader relevant concepts related to the matter.