Genuine Reflection Paper

The transition from a newly graduate nurse to a confident, capable nurse is a difficult evolution for any individual. The use of reflection enables the individual to develop their skills and knowledge in a structured way, encourages change when possible and allows for acceptance of difficult thoughts and feelings. There are several types of reflective models and it is important for the individual to find what best suits them. Reflection can be useful to learn from experience, develop critical thinking, teach emotional maturity, and empower graduate nurses while teaching them a lifelong skill.

Reflective practice gives nurses more confidence in what they do and why they do it.

Science Instructional Analysis and Methods class has afforded me countless learning experiences which I have taken into my intern classroom. I have several take away for this fall’s science methods course. The first being, in Methods class I learned to work in distinct groups of with peers of various levels. My peers who are experiencing classroom teaching for the first time and the graduate interns. Surprisingly, I learned from working with both of these groups. From the graduate level students, I was able to actually make a connection with the content we read about in our text and experiences I had everyday in internship. I appreciate the opportunity, as I felt safe and free to ask questions about the experiences they had in teaching science. I commend you on the way you had broken up the class groups, and afforded us to work with different groups. During this process, I feel I have started to find my voice as a professional. This opportunity allowed me to be more confident to voice my ideas to the teachers I worked with in internship, as I contribute to my PLC group.

This paragraph is about the concept of reflection and how it aids the professional development of a newly graduated nurse. To do this, we first have to understand what is reflection. The Australian health practitioner regulation agency (APHRA), are responsible for regulating the health professions (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia 2016). All nurses must practise under the Nursing and midwifery board of Australia’s National competency standards for the registered nurse (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia 2016). Included in these standards is the Critical thinking and

On September 6, 2017, I were documented for an incident that involved a University Housing policy violation. I was charged with violating the University Housing Alcohol 1.2 policy. With my violation, came consequences. I met with The Residence Conduct Coordinator to discuss my actions and came to the conclusion that I would have to schedule a meeting with The Campus Alcohol and Drug Education Center (CADEC) and with that, a reflection paper.

In this essay, I will be using the Gibbs Reflective Cycle (1988) to reflect on my first-hand experience on a specific matter during my first placement allocation as a student nurse. The Gibbs Reflective Cycle is a six-stage model which I believe will allow me to somewhat analyse and give a clear insight into my experience. As stated by Somerville et al (2004), reflective practice within nursing is described as “a process by which practitioners can better understand themselves in order to be able to build on existing strengths and take appropriate future action.”

Jack, Kristen, & Smith, & Anne, (2007, April). Promoting self-awareness in nurses to improve nursing practice. Nursing Standard, 21(32), 47-52. University Library.

As a student, I am constantly learning how important reflection is. In a clinical setting, I am able to ask questions and learn if I am doing something wrong, which helps expand my clinical knowledge. The reflective technique aids in teaching practicing nurses as well as preparing students for his or her future career in the medical field. “Reflection is a critical part of learning from experience and is important in developing and maintaining competency across a practitioner’s practice lifetime” (Paterson, Chapman, 2013). In the nursing profession, you must be open to suggestions.

In Oluwatoyin’s Reflective practice: Implication for Nurses, she explains that with proper utilization of reflective practice “nurses are able to plan their actions and consciously monitor [those actions] to ensure it is beneficial to their patient” (2015). Furthermore, she argues that the process of reflection can “enhance self-esteem through learning”. With the expansion of medical knowledge and innovations, the healthcare industry evolves constantly and nurses must continue to learn and build upon past experiences. By reflecting on one’s experiences, nurses can build a foundation of learned practices with autonomy and confidence to care for more patients (Oluwatoyin,

Reflective Practice within Nursing has been defined ‘as a process that develops understanding of what it means to be a practitioner’ (Rolfe, 1998) and follows on with the ‘theory and practice through the practitioner consciously thinking through the experience’ (Jasper, 2003). This is of great importance regarding a practitioner, especially one in learning, as they are able to develop a better understanding of their role and offers support when learning new skills. In Nursing, Reflection plays a huge role. Most of the opportunities to learn and develop knowledge come best when learnt through practice and subsequently will be found in a practice environment.

A reflection is a way for us to look back and reminisce on past memories and compare it to how we have grown since our past experience. We use reflection throughout many phases of our lives because we are every changing and growing in both personality, intellect, and adaptation. Reflection is important because it gives us a chance to look back on our past experiences and learn from them. When we reflect back on our nursing school experience we can see how over the span of only ten months we have grown into competent individuals ready to enter the “real world” of nursing. Beginning this program I remember all of us being terrified by clinical and patient interactions, where as compared to now, we walk into a patient’s room with the confidence

The careful consideration of professional or personal actions in such a way as to transform present and future experience describe reflection ( Kofoed, 2011). As I reflect over the past ten months, I have enjoyed my journey in the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program and am looking forward to graduating in approximately ten weeks. The knowledge, skills and competencies I have acquired has enhanced my teaching skills and confidence and helped me to care better for my patients. Although the transformation from a clinical floor nurse to a nurse educator with leadership skills has been problematic, I am acquiring ways to create change in patient care through the reflection in practice, clinical supervision, leadership, education, and evidence-based

She mentioned that although it was good that I was being empathetic when the patient was crying, I also needed to take control of the situation, and keep the interaction going. I learned that every patient is unique with different circumstances, and that I need to adjust my skills and use various communication strategies which are relevant to the situation. I engaged in self-reflection as it increased my self-awareness regarding my strengths and weaknesses (Pai, 2015). As I am aware of the things I need to improve on, self-reflection will promote problem solving (Pai, 2015). Also, I can think of ways to come across as more confident and take control of the situation. As previously mentioned, self-reflection will help me improve my critical thinking skills which can enhance my practice (College of Nurses of Ontario, 2015). It was great to receive feedback from my preceptor as it opened my eyes to the things I missed and did not think about during the interaction (College of Nurses of Ontario,

This paper is my personal reflection on teaching and learning that is based on a model developed by Schӧn; reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action. An action based on reflection is beneficial for the progression of my career as a nursing educator and for the quality of my teaching. When I reflect in and on action, I engage in a reflection which is targeted not only at appreciating myself as a nurse educator, but also at refining my teaching skill (Serdenciuc, 2015). Schön (as cited in Molloy & Delany, 2009) described reflection-in-action as challenging my own inherent critical thinking, analysis and evaluation of an activity while maintaining a sense of inquisitiveness. Schön (1983, p. 280) also mentioned that reflection-in-action is a process where my thinking and action should harmonize. On the other hand, reflection-on-action is a process where I revisit the action with my retrospective thinking so as to acquire insights for the future (Wieringa, 2011). When reflecting-on-action, I should keep a reflective diary to record details of the action immediately after the action (Mulholland & Turnock, 2012, p. 74).

Over the course of the semester, I have been fortunate enough to work with a student who is having difficulties when it comes to reading. My student does not have difficulties when it comes to hearing a word, but rather when he sees a word. My student has definitely benefited from one on one work with me as well as the additional help he’s getting from the reading specialist during their WIN (what I need) time. My student does not like to read because he knows that he is struggling and he is embarrassed about it. When my student goes to his WIN time, he does really well because the instruction is at his level and there are only two other students who are also on the same level there as well. Besides the current intervention, programs I would recommend are Direct Instruction: Reading Mastery, Letter Spacing, Wilson Reading System and the Lindamood program (LiPS).