Reflection is defined as the intentional cognitive method of reviewing and analyzing clinical situations (Naidoo, 2013). Reflection therefore is the focus of the progress of the professional practice. Reflection is the continuous and careful consideration of a given case, which is mostly triggered by need to have solution. Reflection is beneficial to the nurses in their clinical practices. First, nurses are able to relate emotionally to given situations and come to terms with the effects. Nurses have also been able to reflect for learning purposes.
Reflection is part of the practice-based learning (Asselin, Schwartz-Barcott & Osterman, 2012). It is beneficial to both the professionals and students. Through this practice, students can sharpen their skills on self-awareness and health issues. In the present nursing education, there are essential concentration on research and practice. Students in often times face complicated and unfamiliar realities in these evidence- based practices. Reflection therefore assists the students make sense on the realities. In addition to this, they are in a position to gain more knowledge (Barksby et al, 2015). Reflection further assist the nurses improve their service quality; it is an essential tool in offering much needed support to the staff. There is professional development to the team members who have allocated time to reflect on their work.
The major process, which has commonly been applied in reflecting in a clinical practice, includes developing a good judgment of the prevailing problem, empowering the sense with observations of the applicable conditions, structuring a termination and testing the highly structured conclusion through practice (Asselin, Schwartz-Barcott & Osterman, 2012). Through this process, a situation is transformed from being obscure, doubtful, disturbing, and conflicting into an open, coherent, and harmonious situation. At the beginning, nurses become curious about an obscure situation. During this time, the situation may be analyzed for failures such as human eras and limitations and system failures. This calls for observation with a critical analysis. This leads to coming up with solutions which may be questionable but transforms the several puzzles. There are models, which nurses may apply. For instance there is the Gibbs 1988 model which asserts that reflection begins with defining a practice situation and go through stages such as identification of the feelings, evaluation of the experience, analysis of the situation, conclusions and coming up with alternative actions and coming up with recommendations for future situations (Barksby et al, 2015).
Reflection in nursing practice is a common phenomenon (Asselin, Schwartz-Barcott & Osterman, 2012). In my nursing practice, I have applied reflective practice when I was on placement in the learning disability examination for the patients who had challenging characters. I happened to be attending one young patient who had moderate learning problem and autism. He was admitted at the hospital with high levels of self-harm and violence to his caregivers. No family was involved with this particular patient. Since this was my first case of working with people with learning disabilities, I always dreaded coming to serve the patient. All through my session, I treated all the patients with respect. However, I was not at peace with this particular patient. In order to control the situation, I applied the three- stage reflective model; curiosity, close observation and transformation. On curiosity, I came to realize that patients being admitted have never bothered me. I also came to realize that this particular patient did not bother me with his admission either. I wondered why then I often felt upset whenever I was to serve him. Whenever I thought of this patient, I became sad. I came to realize that I was ever sad by the fact that he w2as abandoned by the family members and that the caregivers also dreaded serving him. Actually, they negatively spoke about him. On closer examination, I came to realize that I had one of my relatives who had a similar condition; she was also forgotten and died prematurely. I thereafter made up my mind that I can positively look at the patient despite the comments shared about him. I came to realize that I could control my reactions and assist others by sharing this reflective. I also saw it wise to recommend ways in which patients can be assisted by close members and friends as a way of showing their close relationship.
References
Asselin, E. M., Schwartz-Barcott, D. & Osterman, A. P. (2012). “Exploring Reflection as a Process Embedded in Experienced Nurses’ Practice: A Qualitative Study.” Journal of Advanced Nursing.
Barksby, J. et al. (2015). “A New Model of Reflection for Clinical Practice.” Nursing Times; 111: 34/35, 21-23.