Clinical Reflection

 Introduction

Clinical reflection is a skill which is now developed from university level, with the ever growing pressures for service development and self progression this is now an essential skill that should be put into practice regularly by every health care professional. 

So this page is going to run through:

• What is refection and why we use it
• The reflective journey 
• Different methods of reflection

What is Reflection / Reflective Practice?

Reflection and reflective practice is advocated by many professional bodies to promote high quality service delivery, but what is reflection and reflective practice? Here are some definitions: 

• Reflection is a process of reviewing an experience of practice in order to describe, analyse, evaluate and so inform learning about practice (Reid, 1993 p.305)

• “Reflective practice is something more than thoughtful practice. It is that form of practice that seeks to problematise many situations of professional performance so that they can become potential learning situations and so the practitioners can continue to learn, grow and' 'develop in and through practice” (Jarvis, 1992 p.180)

• a window through which the practitioner can view and focus self within the context of his/her own lived experience in ways that enable
  him/her to confront, understand and work towards resolving the contradictions within his/her practice between what is desirable and actual practice” (Johns 2000:34)

Clinical reflection is a tool which enables the individual to learn from their experiences and actions, this is not only applicable in the health care setting but through day to day life. It enables the individual to learn from mistakes and poor choices they take and acknowledge when things have gone well so this can be repeated; but to clinically reflect and utilise this skill in the health care setting needs some practice, as this requires critical thinking. 

Watch this video on reflective learning to find out more.

The Reflective Journey

It has been acknowledged that critial reflection in clinical practice is essential for clinical effectivness and continuing professionall development. There is evidence to suggest that critial reflection is difficult without expert guidance, therefore educational institutions are now encorporating this into their programmes to establish this skills early in the individuals prfessional career. Reflection and critial analysis is a skill which needs to be practiced in order to be develop. 

Quite often student health care professionals will start of their reflective development jounreys by being given the task of keeping a reflective journal or diary of their day on clinical placements. This jounral will involve certain thought provoketing questions to facilitate and direct the reflection such as: 

• What happened
• Why did you chose that method
• Is there any research to support your decisions
• What went well
• What could have gone better
• Action points for implimentation next time

It is encouraged that reflections are innitially written; this will help to cement the different stages of reflection, but once this skill is fine tuned health care professionals do this regularly (internally) throughout the day. They then may only reflect formally (written) upon an event or activity that was particularly significant for them.

Watch this small lecture from the london deanery on reflection and learning in the workplace. This is aimed at trainee doctors but the prinicples can be translated into any health care profession.

Methods of Reflection

There are many forms of formal reflection, all differing slightly. There is no right or wrong method of reflection as long as it is:

• A record which is useful to you
•  A cue to memory
• Honestly written
• Enjoyable to you in its production

Here are some of the different structures that can be used. To find the best structure to use is to practice with a few and choose the one which you feel is most effective for you, as reflection in clinical practice is about your learning.