Reflective research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Reflective research - Essay Example Various models of reflection had been postulated for the benefit of nursing. Nurses attained professionalism by the concept of reflections. They analyzed past occurrences and experiences and learnt from them. Reflection may be defined as â€Å"the ability to reflect into past experiences for the purpose of continuous learning† (Schon, 1983). The reflective processes assisted systematic problem-solving in a stepwise manner. Reflective nursing was a learning on-the-job where nurses were able to learn from past incidences apart from the theoretical knowledge. Experience was insufficient to provide a learning process. The experience had to be combined with reflection to bring out subtle details to enhance the learning process (Boud et al in Horn and Freed, 2008). Journaling had been advocated for closing the gap between theory and practice (Horn and Freed, 2008) Writing down notes after a particular experience or daily reflections helped a nurse develop the critical thinking proce ss. Nursing students could consider the experience with each client as unique and record the experience in the journal. Metacognition had been recognized as another method to modify the learning experience (Horn and Freed, 2008). ... Gibbs’ model of reflection (1988), John’s model of reflection (1994) and Kolb’s learning cycle (1984) were different learning models for nursing. The following is Gibbs cycle. Figure 1 Gibbs Model of Reflection Description What happened? Action Plan Feelings If it arose again, What were you what would you do? thinking and feeling? Conclusion Evaluation What else could you What was good and have done? and bad about the experience? Analysis What sense can you make of the situation Gibbs’ model helped nurses learn from reflections. The description of what had happened provided the details of the day’s incident. The emotions that accompanied the incident expanded the circumstances under which it occurred and how one responded. Positive or negative emotions could have accompanied the incident. The evaluation of the incident contained the reason for it happening. This could further be analysed to infer how that event should have turned out had you been an experienced nurse and acted in another manner Analysis enabled one to argue how the outcome could have been improved and made different. This led to the conclusion. Using this conclusion the nurse could plan the action for the next time such an incident was repeated. With that she could make an imprint in her mind which she could use later. When the new incident happened, it would similarly help her through the steps of the Gibb’s cycle and produce more learning. A novice nurse who used this cycle for her learning process could reach competency very early in her life as a nurse. The incident which stimulated the research The memory of Mrs. Lopez, a 69 year old grandmother, recovering in the rehabilitation ward and who had a fall still upsets me. It was a terrible and avoidable