Reflective Nursing
Reflection in the Nursing Process
Role of Reflection
In the nursing process, reflection is necessary for improving the standards of practice. For reflective practice, specific areas are identified by the Johns model (Somerville & Keeling, 2004, p. 42). These include the description of an experience that is important to the learner, identification of personal issues that emerge from the experience, focus on personal goals, having empathy for others involved in the experience, and becoming aware of personal beliefs and values.
Reflection then goes through the phase of linking the experience with earlier experiences, creating alternatives for future behavior, and furthermore, finding out new methods for improving work, especially in interactions with patients, families, and staff members for meeting the patient’s needs (Somerville & Keeling, 2004, p. 42). Nursing practitioners can thus examine their personal thoughts and actions through reflection. This plays a major role in helping them focus on the manner of interaction with colleagues as well as the environment, from which a clearer picture emerges of their behavior.
Hence reflection plays the role of an efficient aide who can help nurses better understand their own self, which enables them to improve their existing strengths and capabilities and generate new courses of future action (Somerville & Keeling, 2004., p. 42) with regard to client mobility and workplace safety. New actions generated as a result of reflection are vital to the overall progress of nursing practice, since they aim to develop new professional routines that are in accordance with personal values and beliefs.
Potential Benefits and Drawbacks
Reflective processes have been used in nursing to improve practice, research, workplace safety, client mobility, and clinical supervision. Based on rational thinking and the scientific method, technical reflection allows the validation of empirical knowledge so that procedures related to safety at the workplace and client mobility are established on scientific reasoning.
Human interaction in the social context is interpreted through technical reflection, which leads to improvement in communication at the workplace, and therefore practice enjoyment and results (Taylor, 2005, p. 46). This acts as a motivation for implementing better procedures for workplace safety and client mobility.
In the nursing reflection process, several constraints may arise that hinders the interpretation of procedures and actions related to workplace safety and mobility. These include political, social, historical, cultural, economic, and personal constraints (Taylor, 2005, p. 46). These may affect the way in which effective reflection is carried out and can lead to inconclusive outcomes. If nursing reflection is practiced in the proper manner, it can do away with various issues that were considered to be personal faults (Taylor, 2005, p. 46). It helps in providing a clear understanding of why things go wrong and methods for changing the current situation, to ensure better standards for safety and client mobility at hospitals.
Effects of Reflection
Nursing is a person-focused helping profession that requires hard work and a solid foundation of knowledge and skills for facing the day-to-day challenges. Hence a systematic approach to reflection and action is necessary (Somerville & Keeling, 2004, p. 42).
In the nursing reflection process, reflection on the action of others is also of paramount importance. The person whose actions must be reflected upon may have several years of experience (Taylor, 2005, p. 46). Reflection-in-action indicates the examination of one’s own behavior and the actions of others, in specific situations. Examination of others’ actions offers numerous opportunities for learning. This involves paying attention to the current situation and focusing on responses. This helps to make connections with past experiences (Somerville & Keeling, 2004, p. 42).
For a successful reflection of others’ actions, the reflector can adopt the role of a “witness”, and observe accurately the actions of others for future reflection. This procedure can be perfected with practice and aids in delineating the intent behind the actions of others, which can be applied to benefit in one’s own practice (Somerville & Keeling, 2004, p. 42).
In addition, the person whose action is being reflected on may be able to offer assistance and support in the reflection process of a particular experience related to workplace safety and mobility. It can be a supervisor who challenges the reflector’s thoughts in a non-threatening manner, so that learning is maximized to the extent possible. However, this feedback need not be accepted as the truth, but instead can be given due consideration (Somerville & Keeling, 2004, p. 42).
Reflection in Nursing Studies
Through a structured approach, and by means of a chain of taught sessions that outline reflective theory, the process of reflection can be developed in nursing studies. Proper guidance and sufficient time are required for practicing the art of reflection. In this manner, the significance and importance of reflection can be highlighted in nursing studies (White, Laxton, & Brooke, n.d., p.8).
In clinical practice, reflective practice is a fundamental component that has a positive impact on personal as well as professional development (White, Laxton, & Brooke, n.d., p.9). The understanding gained through reflection is of equal or greater value than the time spent at the bedside (Pierson, W, 1998, pp. 168 and 169).
Since the reflective process involves more than just a concrete retrospection, it enables active participation in nursing studies. It establishes a culture of honesty and development of trust in the nursing environment (Pierson, W, 1998, p. 169). Nursing studies become a domain of research and a hub of interesting activities, with the addition of reflective courses, which draws out the best practices for application in the field.
References
- Pierson, W. (1998). Reflection and nursing education. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 27, 165–170. Retrieved from http://www.gobookee.net/get_book.php?u=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5sZWFybmluZ2RvbWFpbi5jb20vTUVkSE9NRS9TUEVDSUFMSVNBVElPTlMvQ2xpbmljYWwuUmVmbGVjdGlvbi5wZGYKUmXvrIJlY3Rpb24gYW5kIG51cnNpbmcgZWR1Y2F0aW9uIC0gbGVhcm5pbmdkb21haW4=
- Somerville, D., & Keeling, J. (2004). A practical approach to promote reflective practice within nursing. Nursing Times.net, 100(12), 42. Retrieved from http://www.nursingtimes.net/nursing-practice/clinical-zones/educators/a-practical-approach-to-promote-reflective-practice-within-nursing/204502.article
- Taylor, B. (2005). The nature of reflection and practice. Reflective practice. A guide for nurses and midwives (p. 46). Tata-McGraw Hill. Retrieved from http://www.mcgraw-hill.co.uk/openup/chapters/0335217427.pdf
- White, P., Laxton, J., & Brooke, R. (n.d.). Reflection: Importance, theory, and practice. ALPS. University of Leeds. Retrieved from http://www.alps-cetl.ac.uk/documents/Reflection_BAA_article_submission.pdf
