MODULE FOUR: Reflective Practice
OVERVIEW: Preceptor Education >> Module Four >> Reflective Practice
Reflective Practice
There are three moments of reflective practice, one is before the action is to commence (anticipatory reflection), one is while “in the action” (reflection-in-practice) and the last is “on the action” completed (reflection-on-practice).
Anticipatory Reflection
- Defined as the type of reflection that occurs before our actions commence. We often engage in this type of reflection without thinking about it. It can be utilized to plan out an exam or problem-solve a recurring situation.
Reflection-in-Action
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Defined as the act of reflecting while you are working, and being aware of what you are doing at the same time. This is the way a confident, experienced health professional works. It involves knowing and doing at the same time thereby fostering clinical reasoning.
Reflection-on-Practiced
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Defined as the reflecting you do after the event: thinking through and often discussing the incident with a colleague. Reflection is not just about repeatedly thinking of the same action or obsessing over a single misstep, instead it should involve being self-aware and action orientated that leads to a change.
Self reflection emphasizes the purposeful critical analysis of knowledge and experience, in order to achieve deeper meaning and understanding. The reflective health professional revisits their experience both to learn from it and to frame complex problems in their professional practice. Likewise, reflection processes an experience in a variety of ways, to explore deeper understanding of their actions and experiences and the impact of these on themselves and others. Concepts and understanding may be created through a discussion amongst peers, encouraging learners to achieve and maintain rationales for the intuitive aspects of their experience
Reflective practice is a requirement for many health professionals as part of their regulatory college quality assurance program. The program requires the professional to identify their strengths and weaknesses in order to complete a learning plan which addresses self-identified areas requiring development. This process assists health professionals to maintain their competence. There has been an increase in specialization amongst health professionals which has resulted in an increased demand on health professionals to develop a deeper understanding of the complexity of their practice. Reflection provides professionals with the skills to examine practice questions thoroughly in order to gain a broader understanding of multiple issues. Taking time to stop and sort through all the information in order to make informed practice decisions is vital in today’s rapidly changing health care system.
Approaches to Promote Refection and Self-evaluation
Make time for reflection.
- Encourage thought processes with “How” questions instead of “Why” questions.
- Create or provide tools for reflective practice: reflective worksheets, organized questions, or learning journal.
- Utilize different methods of reflection: writing, drawing, debriefing (verbal sharing of thoughts, feelings and responses).
- Link learning experiences with learning goals.
- Ask leading questions that promote expressive responses.
- Request the learner to provide an assessment of their own performance prior to providing your own assessment. You may utilize the same assessment tool for both parties.
- Consider video or audio recording and a self-evaluation/feedback tool. This may promote peer learning through group and individual supervision sessions but difficult to proceed with privacy issues.
- Support exchange of feedback.
(Turpin & Fitzgerald, 2006; Branch & Paranjape 2002)
Stimulating worksheet/journal questions:
- What worked well?
- What could work better?
- How can I improve for next time?
- What do I need to make the improvement happen?
- How will I know I have made the improvement?
- How long will it take to accomplish?
- How will I remember for next time?