Becoming a Reflective Practitioner This essay is on becoming a reflective practitioner.
Being reflective has been identified as one of the key methods of learning from experience. Reflection is an active process it can help you develop an understanding of how historical,social,culture and personal experiences have contributed to how you study or learn. Reflection can be applied to any aspect of your life. It’s used to help individuals become lifelong learners and to focus their efforts in getting the most out of situations and , ultimately, improve self- performance. (gcu.
ac.uk)Reflective practice has been described as the process of learning through and from experience towards gaining new insights of self and/or practice often by examining assumptions of everyday practice (Finlay, 2008). It is a key element of continuing professional development and part of the (NMC) Nursing and Midwifery Council’s. Revalidation requirements (NMC,2015) My two chosen models for this assignment are Gibbs (1988) and Schon (1983) Gibbs is a common model of reflection that is used within the health professions. Gibbs is clear and precise allowing for description, and analysis and evaluation of the experience helping the reflective practitioner make sense of experiences and examine their practice. To reflect is it enough, you then have to put into practice the learning and new understanding you have gained therefore allowing the reflective process to inform your practice.
Taking action is the key , Gibbs prompts the practitioner to formulate an action plan. This enables the reflective practitioner to look at their practice and see what they would change in the future, how they would develop and improve their practice. Jasper M (2003) Marks C (2001) Gibbs, G (1988) Taylor B (2004)Donald Schön has been a huge influence on the development of reflection in professional education. Importantly, Schon (1983, 1987) believed that practice should be central to professional curricula, consequently he saw learning by ‘doing’ becoming the core of programmes rather than an add-on, with students investing in practice and time, in order to learn from it. This implies that students need to develop a commitment to practice and the motivation to learn from it (Bulman 2004).
Schon defined reflection-on-action asthinking back on what we have done in order to discover how our knowing in action may have contributed to an unexpected outcome. We may do so after the fact, in tranquillity, or we may pause in the midst of action (stop and think).’ (Schon 1987)This focuses on retrospective critical thinking, to construct and reconstruct events in order to develop oneself as a practitioner and person. Significantly, his concept of reflection involves more than ‘intellectual’ thinking, since practitioners’ feelings and an acknowledgement of an interrelationship with action are also important.
Yet Schon’s work focused more on reflection-in-action which he saw as a distinguishing feature of expert practitioners who were able to experiment and think about their practice whilst they were doing it:where we may reflect in the midst of action without interrupting it. Our thinking serves to reshape what we are doing while we are doing it.’ (Schon 1987)As you can see, this is a different concept from reflection-on-action since it is not about carrying out a ‘post mortem’ (however speedy) on an experience but concerns thinking and knowing in the midst of action.
Schon saw reflection-in-action as a distinguishing feature of expert practitioners who are able to experiment and think about their practice whilst they are doing it this idea is fundamental to his theory of professional expertise. It is difficult to conceptualise, and you will find it is sometimes misrepresented by those who view reflection-on-action and reflection-in-action as the same. Essentially, it is a different concept to which largely focuses on reflection concerned with the construction of knowledge after an experience and the teaching and learning associated with it. Wiley & Sons (2013) Strengths and weaknesses of Gibbs Model Positives is that Nurses and Midwives can learn from experience, encourages systematic thinking about the phases of an experience or activity,opportunity to view the various perspectives on a given experience issue or action, allows the practitioner to have a more balanced and precise judgement, negatives the questions are narrow and require professional,experienced guidance, because of the lack of detailed questions at the different stages, a more elaborate model will be required to pursue deeper reflection, at the analysis stage the practitioner may choose to repress or overlook an unpleasant event that may occur. Strengths and weaknesses of Schon Model The Nursing and Midwifery council (NMC) requires that Nurses and Midwives use feedback as an opportunity for reflection and learning to improve practice. As part of the code of the (NMC) Nursing a Midwifery Council, Nurses and Midwives must fulfil all registration requirements. To stay practicing as a Nurse or Midwives they need to write five written reflective accounts practice related feedback, an event or experience in your practice, and explain how this relates to the code.
From over the three years since they registration was last renewed or they joined the register. (NMC, 2015)The purpose of this requirement is to encourage Nurses and Midwives to reflect on their professional development and identify any changes or improvements and understanding of themselves and their practice, so they can take better care of themselves and their patients based on what they have learnt and to raise awareness of the code and encourage nurses and midwives to consider the role of the code in their practice and professional development. (NMC, 2015)As a senior Health Care Assistant I would use reflective practice in work. In supervision and appraisals.
It keeps my training up to date and it helps with improving myself and improve patient care.My managers supports and motivate me and encourage me and give me feedback in my strengths and weaknesses and feedback on areas they think I may need further training. I will use reflective practice in my future learning at university and in work.References ListSchon (1983)Gibbs (1988)NMC (2015)Finlay (2008)Jasper M (2003)Marks C (2001)Taylor B (2004)Wiley & Sons (2013)www.gcv.ac.ukwww.nmc.org.uk
