CAREERS STUDENT LIFE
Getting reflection right
RESOURCES RCN Principles of Nursing Practice tinyurl.com/RCPNP Rolfe’s model of reflection tinyurl.com/RPModelRolfe Student Life Online tinyurl.com/qbccs6b
Using a model can help students think about their practice in a constructive way, says Fiona Timmins Reflection has a significant role to play in students’ development as a nurse. To develop their reflective skills, nursing students are usually asked to reflect on their experiences in clinical practice. The primary emphasis in reflection is on the self and how your knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, interactions and emotions can influence your behaviour and care as a nurse. Reflection is thinking about and learning from experiences. Reflective practice is using reflection to appropriately alter behaviour and practices. It is important to realise that there is no single way to reflect, although using a model to guide your reflection can help significantly. Several step-by-step models are available, each emphasising different aspects of reflection (see box for an example model). As a practising nurse, you will be able to reflect as you practice (reflection in action), and
facilitator or adviser, and there are several ways to get the best out of this process: Aim to be honest and truthful. Describe the effect of the situation on yourself – reflection is about you. Keep the chosen topic simple. Focus on the ordinary – improving apparently everyday aspects of care can make a huge difference to patients Examples of ordinary events might be: Listening to your first handover/ handoff report. Your first night shift. Attending to patients’ dignity while addressing hygiene needs. Remember that reflective writings are public in so far as supervisors/ facilitators/advisers may need to see them. This presents ethical and legal considerations: Keep client information confidential. Seek client consent if using a case study approach even if anonymised. If your reflective writings contain, or you have witnessed, poor practice, you are obliged to report this using correct procedures. Be aware your reflective writings could be made more widely available should an enquiry take place. Reflective writings are not a substitute for reporting poor practice NS
afterwards (reflection on action). You might reflect on: Everyday events in practice. New or demanding situations. Actions that made a difference. Activities that went well. Challenging situations. Students may use a diary or portfolio to document reflections, or they may be asked to write essays including a reflective component. When reflecting on practice, try to follow the steps of the model carefully, addressing each one. Remember to: Break down and make sense of the situation. Write succinctly. Engage with each step of the model. Describe your new learning. Consider using your reading to support your reflections. It is always helpful to receive advice and support about the process, content and product of reflection. In some circumstances, students will be provided with a supervisor,
Ask: What happened? What was significant about the event – to you and others? What did you do well, and what could be improved? What next? How will this reflection influence your future practice? How will you behave differently next time? How will you put this into practice? Source: Rolfe (2001)
ALAMY
A model of reflection
Fiona Timmins is associate professor and Mark Monahan is assistant professor at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin
74 february 25 from :: vol RCNi.com 29 no 26 by :: 2015 STANDARD Downloaded ${individualUser.displayName} on Nov 16, 2015. For personal use only. NoNURSING other uses without permission. Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
Getting reflection right
RESOURCES RCN Principles of Nursing Practice tinyurl.com/RCPNP Rolfe’s model of reflection tinyurl.com/RPModelRolfe Student Life Online tinyurl.com/qbccs6b
Using a model can help students think about their practice in a constructive way, says Fiona Timmins Reflection has a significant role to play in students’ development as a nurse. To develop their reflective skills, nursing students are usually asked to reflect on their experiences in clinical practice. The primary emphasis in reflection is on the self and how your knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, interactions and emotions can influence your behaviour and care as a nurse. Reflection is thinking about and learning from experiences. Reflective practice is using reflection to appropriately alter behaviour and practices. It is important to realise that there is no single way to reflect, although using a model to guide your reflection can help significantly. Several step-by-step models are available, each emphasising different aspects of reflection (see box for an example model). As a practising nurse, you will be able to reflect as you practice (reflection in action), and
facilitator or adviser, and there are several ways to get the best out of this process: Aim to be honest and truthful. Describe the effect of the situation on yourself – reflection is about you. Keep the chosen topic simple. Focus on the ordinary – improving apparently everyday aspects of care can make a huge difference to patients Examples of ordinary events might be: Listening to your first handover/ handoff report. Your first night shift. Attending to patients’ dignity while addressing hygiene needs. Remember that reflective writings are public in so far as supervisors/ facilitators/advisers may need to see them. This presents ethical and legal considerations: Keep client information confidential. Seek client consent if using a case study approach even if anonymised. If your reflective writings contain, or you have witnessed, poor practice, you are obliged to report this using correct procedures. Be aware your reflective writings could be made more widely available should an enquiry take place. Reflective writings are not a substitute for reporting poor practice NS
afterwards (reflection on action). You might reflect on: Everyday events in practice. New or demanding situations. Actions that made a difference. Activities that went well. Challenging situations. Students may use a diary or portfolio to document reflections, or they may be asked to write essays including a reflective component. When reflecting on practice, try to follow the steps of the model carefully, addressing each one. Remember to: Break down and make sense of the situation. Write succinctly. Engage with each step of the model. Describe your new learning. Consider using your reading to support your reflections. It is always helpful to receive advice and support about the process, content and product of reflection. In some circumstances, students will be provided with a supervisor,
Ask: What happened? What was significant about the event – to you and others? What did you do well, and what could be improved? What next? How will this reflection influence your future practice? How will you behave differently next time? How will you put this into practice? Source: Rolfe (2001)
ALAMY
A model of reflection
Fiona Timmins is associate professor and Mark Monahan is assistant professor at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin
74 february 25 from :: vol RCNi.com 29 no 26 by :: 2015 STANDARD Downloaded ${individualUser.displayName} on Nov 16, 2015. For personal use only. NoNURSING other uses without permission. Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
