...Reflective Essay The aim of this essay is to reflect on an incident, which took place in a hospital setting during the first month of my Foundation Degree Assistant Practitioner course. It will explore the importance of communication amongst the health care professionals and how a good nursing documentation is an integral part of nursing. It will also demonstrate how reflection enabled me to make sense of and learn from this experience, as well as identify any further learning developments needed to improve my practice and achieve the level of competency needed for when I qualify as an assistant practitioner. While discussing the knowledge underpinning practice, evidence based literature will be reviewed to support my discussion and for the purpose of reflection the essay will be written in the first person. Spouse, J, et al (2008). Jonhs, C (2009) defined reflection as learning through our every day experiences, towards realising one’s vision of desirable practice as a lived reality. He also added that it is a critical and a flexible process of self inquiry and transformation of being and becoming the practitioner you desire to be. However, Ghaye, T et al. (2000) stated that for the health care professionals to develop a more reflective posture, they must fully embrace both the principles and the practices of reflection. It is about becoming more aware of how we learn and how this affects what we think, feel and do. There are different models for reflection; some are more...
Words: 1624 - Pages: 7
...Introduction The aim of this piece of work will be to describe, analyse and evaluate what role the staff nurse holds in the effective management of the care of the bereaved person. Throughout the author will relate this to the bereavement of a family following the death of a loved one in a care of the elderly setting. In relation to this assignment and because the focus of this assignment is on the staff nurse effectively managing the care of the bereaved person the author will focus on the issue of the importance of good leadership in supporting staff in what could be an emotionally challenging environment. In relation to supporting the staff nurse being able to provide effective care for the patient the author will also be considering the areas of teambuilding and staff development, training and support. It should be remembered that bereavement may occur not just after a death but after any form of loss. Loss is a normal part of everyday life, life involves change and changes often involve an element of loss, (Read, 2002). What is bereavement? Shakespeare once wrote “all that lives must die, passing through nature to eternity”. Death is one of the largest causes of bereavement, although not exclusively. Bereavement is the term used for the emotions and behaviours felt and displayed by a person who has suffered some form of loss, particularly the death of a person close to them or known to them, (Egan, 2003). Coping with bereavement Coping with the emotions...
Words: 3580 - Pages: 15
...based upon shared professional viewpoints” (Barrett, Sellman & Thomas, 2005, p18). How individuals collaborate and work towards a common goal for the benefit of the patient is essential for a swift recovery. This essay will discuss the roles and responsibilities of three health care professionals in the rehabilitation process of Mr Robinson and how their collaboration will ensure his timely recovery. One of the selected professionals will be explored in significant detail, discussing legal and moral issues and statutory regulations of their practice, using both examples and reflection from clinical placement and the group presentation. Evaluating Mr Robinson’s medical history the three professionals that I have chosen to discuss are; speech and language therapist, physiotherapist and social worker. Since the passing of his wife he has reported a loss of appetite, reduced mobility, and difficulties in maintaining his daily routine/regime. By helping him with these issues he would be able to regain a good quality of living. Speech and language therapists (SALT) assess and treat speech, language and communication problems in people of all ages enabling them to communicate to the best of their ability. They also work with people who have eating and swallowing problems (The NHS, 2006). The nurses and doctors who care for Mr Robinson may have concerns regarding his weight loss and initially refer him to the SALT team. The...
Words: 2264 - Pages: 10
...Example Social Work Essay ukessays.com /services/example-essays/social-work/social-care-practice.php Running Head: SOCIAL CARE PRACTICE An Investigation of Principles, Care Strategies and Theories Related to Social Care Practice Part One This section provides a summative assessment of the principles, care strategies and theories that direct social care work within the UK. Specifically, the application of support principles, procedures for protecting clients from harm and the advantages of utilising a person-centred approach in working with clients are discussed. Additionally, ethical issues, applicable policies, legislation issues and regulation and the impacts of existing policies are presented in relation to providing social care. Applications of Support Principles Ensuring that individuals are properly cared for in health and social care requires the application of a number of support principles. Examples of these support principles include equity in the provision of care, universality in its accessibility and providing multiple financial options for individuals of all backgrounds (Alcock, Daly & Griggs, 2008). As the individuals who require health and social care services differ in their ethnic, cultural, social and socioeconomic backgrounds, these support principles are pivotal in meeting the needs of the greatest percentage of the population (Alcock et al., 2008). Valuing diversity and providing support for families of varying backgrounds is a critical component...
Words: 2805 - Pages: 12
...The purpose of this essay is to look at barriers of compassion and what nurses could do overcome these barriers. Three sub topics will be looked at over the course of this essay and a conclusion will be made to evaluate these essays findings and to provide some input into battling these barriers so that patients can receive high standards of patient care. The definition of compassion in the oxford dictionary is ''sympathetic pity and concern for the suffering or misfortunes of others''. Oxford dictionary (2013) However senior lecturer Penny Harrison says there is no accurate definition for compassion as it is a word that can be understood in different ways. Harrison, P. (2009) The importance of compassion is vital in any care setting where there are vulnerable people. The nurses, doctors and any other healthcare professional that is part of the team who deliver the care need to understand how important it is to understand this concept. Delivering compassion care can be something as small as holding somebody’s hand when they are in the later stages of their life, if they feel scared or another thing is as simple as listening to the patient and to hear their problems. The patient will feel better and the nurse should feel good about themselves too knowing that something as small as holding somebody’s hand or listening has benefited that patient. The nursing standard had a report on how student nurses are eager to deliver good and professional compassionate care to their patients...
Words: 2086 - Pages: 9
...A reflective account of my learning experience whilst undertaking my mentorship module. According to Schön (1983), the two types of reflection are reflection in action and reflection on action. Reflection in action is the process of reflecting whilst completing a task whilst reflection on action is the process of reflecting on what you have done. This is an account of my learning experience, combining both approaches, whilst undertaking the mentorship course. The Gibbs model (1988) is a popular tool use to analyse and describe reflection. It is a cycle with six stages: description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, and conclusion and action plan. The rationale for using this model is because it is clear and precise. The essay will take into account my personal journey and the skills I am bringing to this course. Confidentiality will be maintained in accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC, 2008). Informed consent where necessary was also gained in accordance with the NMC Code (2008). Description I am currently working as a Registered Mental Health Nurse involved with patients with various challenges, and with staff at various stages of professional development. Learning and mentorship is an important activity in such an environment. Some of my colleagues had already completed their mentorship training and their recommendation of the course as taught in this University inspired me to apply. Furthermore, I enjoy teaching people and thinking about the challenges...
Words: 1305 - Pages: 6
...Module In this essay I aim to reflect and critically analyse my completion of the learning development plan and to identify how the skills and knowledge that I have gained as a mentor will enable me to lead learning in my area of practice. I will be using the What model of reflection (Driscoll 2000) throughout this essay. What? - As part of the mentorship module I was required to complete a Learning Development Plan (LDP). Part of the LDP involved writing a lesson plan which was then taught to a student under the supervision of my mentor. A copy of the lesson plan can be found within the LDP. An assessment plan was then used to evaluate the learning that had taken place and to assess the competency of the student. I am employed as a Paramedic Practitioner by a National Health Service (NHS) Ambulance Trust and I decided to teach the skill of Intubation to a student Paramedic. The lesson plan included assessing the level of knowledge of my student at the start in order to pitch the lesson at the right level. Gopee (2008:47) cites Ausubel et al (1978) on the view that most meaningful cognitive learning takes place as a result of interaction between the knowledge the individual already processes, and the new information that the individual encounters. Thus the most important factor influencing the learner is what the learner already knows. In order to assess my student, I used the Airway Management assessment sheet currently in use by my Ambulance Trust (NHS Ambulance Trust...
Words: 1750 - Pages: 7
...Therefore all patients and events mentioned in this essay are inspired by real patients and events, but names, locations, dates and other details have been altered or obscured to make identification impossible. Following the introduction of the knowledge and skills framework (DH 2004a) and emphasis on quality of health care and patient centred, interprofessional, health and social care (DH 2000; Leathard 2003; Thompson et al. 2002) health care professionals and students will need to be able to demonstrate the quality of our care and team working abilities. There is a connection between practice and thinking about practice – action and reflection are interdependent; they need one another. Reflection may be triggered by an awareness of a gap between theory and practice, a difference between what ‘should be’ and ‘what is’ (Sullivan & Decker 2005). Our actions and the quality of our care are improved by reflection-on-action, by making sense of what we have experienced, and thinking about how we might act differently in the future (Lillyman & Ghaye 2000). Reflection has a rôle in maintaining one's personal portfolio and maintaining competency and continuing professional development. Support and supervision from managers, who already have a responsibility for assessing competence and continuing professional development of staff can help make this process much easier (Jasper 2001). Reflection is a very personal matter, through our reflections we learn not only about our own feelings and knowledge...
Words: 6023 - Pages: 25
...in healthcare since it is seen as one of the principal factor for causing cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes, costing NHS even more (MRC, 2013). The occurrence of obesity has been so common in the overall population that it has become vital for nurses to be up to date with information regarding obesity issues. Nurses should also be able to use those obtained information to prevent and help recognize those who are already obese by providing them with treatment choices and lifestyle changes information. There are many aspects of obesity treatment which require particular expertise and insights and so doing research on it helps students to gain more information and deliver good practice in the future. Therefore, this essay will be focused on bariatric surgery among adult. Bariatric surgery is a surgery that alters the digestion process in which broken food is absorbed slowly than usual to minimize the amount of nutrients and calories absorption. This type of surgery is recommended for people who are extremely obese- body mass index (BMI) of 35 or above along with severe health problems. This procedure may be effective in reducing weight and treating comorbidities, however, it is costly and has associated risk similar to those of any surgeries (NHS, 2013).The growing number of bariatric surgery not only seems to be a significant contributor to NHS cost but also appears to increase various legal and ethical issues. I will now identify the significant legal, professional and...
Words: 2802 - Pages: 12
...Describe the factors that help or hinder person-centred care and interprofessional working in relation to a chosen incident. (Word Count 2,993) In this essay a consultation observed during a Primary Care placement will be described, with the aim of defining person centred care in relation to it. To protect confidentiality and in accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s code of conduct (NMC, 2008), the names of persons or places are not referred to. The roles and responsibilities of the professions involved, the importance and difficulties of interprofessional collaboration and the effects of this on person centred care will also be explored. A conclusion will be drawn as to whether the event provided a person centred approach. The observed consultation (Appendix 1) took place in an elderly care clinic held in a hospital outpatient department. Outpatients Clinics are provided by the local NHS Primary Care trust on a regular basis as part of ongoing care for clients. A consultant, a nurse, the client and her carer were present. The client had an appointment to review her ongoing treatment of Parkinson’s disease. A publication to support the National Framework for older people (Department of Health, 2001) regarding the implementation of medicines endorses the monitoring of treatment to ensure the medication remains appropriate and to raise awareness of any adverse effects. The lady was in her eighties, frail and hard of hearing. A carer accompanied her from...
Words: 3840 - Pages: 16
...Reflection On My Role As Student And Future Healthcare Practitioner. The aim of this essay is to reflect on my role as a future health care practitioner and this I will be carrying out by using the Rolfe’s reflective MODEL. According to Wikipedia (Rolfe, 2001) stated that through the Rolfe reflective model, ‘’..a description of the situation is given which then leads into the scrutiny of the situation and the construction of knowledge that has been learnt through the experience.” As a future learning disability Nurse, I will be looking at the essential skills that are required for me to advance and pass my course as set out by the NMC (2007) Standard for Pre-Registration Nursing Education. These required essential skills have been identified as reading and research skills, numeracy skills (counting and calculations), writing, oral communication, working with others, critical and analytical thinking, document use, IT and digital technology.This skills I have found in my few months of study at the university to be of great challenge to most student of which I am no exemption. I also will be looking into the challenges faced during the studies and what the challenges are, the impact and the benefits of the skills gained during the studies will be used to evaluate where I am as a student and the areas of improvement will be noted especially in my first year of study. This essay will be concluded based on my progress so far and concentrating more on the areas needed for...
Words: 1513 - Pages: 7
...admitted to cardiac care unite, thus involvement of multidisciplinary team and interprofessional working is essential. The paper ‘Making a Difference’ Department of Health (1999) suggests that ‘effective care is the product of interprofessional working. Professionals working in collaboration provide care which is designed to meet the needs of the patient’ I shall use a model of reflection in order to describe the proposed change I have suggested. Reid (1993) suggests ‘that reflective practice is potentially is both, a way of learning and a mode of survival and development once formal education ceases’. I have chosen Gibbs model (1988) of reflection as it incorporates the following: description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion and an action plan thus Gibbs’ reflective cycle encourages me to think systematically about the phases of an experience and therefore I shall use all the headings to structure my reflection. Discussion under the sub-heading ‘analysis’ will include the process involved in proposing the change in the light of the PDSA cycle (see Appendix 2 ). A conclusion to the essay will then be given which will discuss the knowledge underpinning the reason for the change. I have also worked out a SWOT analysis and included service improvement activity notification form (see...
Words: 1585 - Pages: 7
...Service Design and Transformation Reflective Report Introduction: According to Boud et al (1985), reflection refers to an opportunity to recall an experience, dwell upon it and evaluate it. As part of the assessment for ‘Service Design and Transformation module’, my group and I had to choose a service that needed change and help to redesign the service by applying approaches such as; Toyota Production System(TPS) , Plan Do Study Act(PDSA), Spaghetti and Value Stream mapping, as we have being taught in lectures. Aims and Objectives: This essay aims to give a reflective account of my contribution to the presentation; how my group and I planned the presentation and how well I worked with the group. All these will be analysed by adopting the Sibbert model. In addition I will briefly discuss the evidence and academic arguments used for my part of the group work, using relevant references. Also, a detailed account of how the formative and summative presentation went will be discussed, and the lessons I learnt through the whole process. Presentation Topic and Reasons for the chosen Topic: In my group we researched a range of topic before narrowing it down to antenatal care. According to Patients Opinion (2010), a patient narrated their experience in an antenatal clinic saying ‘’the waiting times for Antenatal Clinic are horrendous; I waited for my 9:30 appointment for 3 hours. Although the midwife I saw was kind and courteous and apologised’’. Based on all the evidence found...
Words: 1783 - Pages: 8
...Since graduation I have been “lucky” to work with two supervisors who are both brilliant professionals and great people. Although their style of work has many similarities it also has differences and on reflection these differences made me think how important is the supervisory relationship itself. Maybe most than anything else? As I am beginning this essay, for first time I really tried to imagine my own supervision style and the nature of my relationships with various supervisees. How I talk, how I sit, what interventions I bring, who would be my supervisees...the list is endless. I can't predict the future but certainly I would like to fill my supervision tool box with material from other supervisors enriched by my own learning and experiences....
Words: 1018 - Pages: 5
...policy is actively promoting the self care and self management of long-term conditions. (25%) 3. Critically discuss the practice nurse’s role in supporting Jane to self- manage her long term condition (60%). A long term condition (LTC) can be defined as a prolonged health issue that never goes away and is very rarely cured (Magerson and Trenoweth 2010). These conditions require different degrees of on-going care and support tailored to the individual (Scottish Executive 2009). The government has realised that effective management of these LTC’s is one of the biggest challenges that healthcare faces (McVeigh 2009). This essay will focus on the above case study, defining anticipatory care, self-care and self-management, and analyse and explore current Scottish health policy in relation to self-management and self-care. A fundamental part of this essay will discuss the nurses’ role in supporting Jane to self-manage her diabetes. Anticipatory care is a plan of the future that involves input from healthcare professionals, the individual and their families/carers to make a plan that sets out realistic goals (Scottish Executive 2010). Anticipatory care ensures that the best thing is being done for that individual so that the outcome is both positive and beneficial (Scottish Executive 2010). It sets out actions,...
Words: 3158 - Pages: 13
