Reflection in Health Care Practice

Introduction

In health and social care practice, Reflection is important for improving and changing practices as it offers way for the healthcare workers to personally examine their actions and sensitive issues which they are going to face. Moreover, reflection is essential as it helps to draw theoretical concepts as well as previous learning to develop action of better nature in future. In this assignment, role of reflection in health and social care practice is to be discussed and the way Practice Themes are used in reflection is to be explained. The critical reflection of the ongoing learning experiences is to be discussed, alongside healthcare dissertation help, and the overall success in the reflective journey along with the way it is going to influence career pathway is to be assessed.

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P1 Explaining the purpose of reflection in health and social care practice

Reflection is the active process of reviewing, examining and analysing experiences to develop theoretical concepts for understanding the way of acting in future (Gradinger et al. 2015). In relation to this, to me, reflection means to be a skill that is to be used for examining my actions and experiences to understand personal weakness and strength and how they are to be managed to act effectively in future. In health and social care practice, the reflection is done with the purpose to lead social and healthcare workers recognise their strength and weakness of actions and use the information to guide on-going learning process so that they can upgrade their services to deliver high-quality and satisfactory to the service users. In this field, reflection helps healthcare and social workers to properly determine what is wrong and right making them feel motivated to improve their actions so that better satisfaction through care is able to be delivered to the service users for improving their health and well-being (Fook, 2015). Reflection in health and social practice helps healthcare practitioners develop awareness regarding themselves as people as well as practitioners which leads them to improve their practice (Tretheway et al. 2016). This is evident as self-awareness as a person leads healthcare practitioners to understand the aspects to be controlled within them to offer non-discriminative and effective health care and awareness being a practitioner helps them identify the professional skills to be improved and required to deliver quality care services. The reflection also helps healthcare practitioners identify the skills to be improved for developing continuous professional development (Adams et al. 2016). This is because in reflection the skills lacked by the professional and updated skills required to be adopted by the healthcare practitioners are able to be identified assisting to improve their practice according to changing demands and innovation in the healthcare field.

P2 Describing tools and models used for reflecting on health and social practice

The most frequent model used to write reflection is health and social care practice is Gibb’s reflective cycle. The Gibb’s reflective cycle has five key steps which are to be followed to develop effective reflection that is useful for people in health and social care field learn from situations experienced by them on regular basis and especially identifying what did not go well (Tanaka et al. 2018). In the description stage, the person reflecting is required to inform what has happened in details without any judgement (Mahlanze et al. 2015). This is essential part of reflective practice to know what has actually happened in that situation. In feelings stage, individual requires to reflect their personal thoughts and feelings during the experience (Arumugam et al. 2017). This is stage is essential in reflection to understand inner feelings and ideas regarding the incidence. In evaluation stage, individual is reflecting what worked and what did not to develop conclusion in the next stage about the aspects to be focussed on to improve (Sweet et al. 2019). The evaluation stage is essential as in this stage the individual identifies personally as well as situational strength and weakness. The conclusion stage is important to let the individual reflecting be encouraged to identify from the whole process the aspects to be focused in future to improve themselves and their practice. In action stage, activities are informed for the aspects to be improved mentioned in conclusion (Smith, 2018). This stage is essential to know the way and resources required to resolve the weakness and further improve the strength to deliver care in a qualitative way.

M1 Reviewing the way reflective practice is applied in healthcare

The reflection is applied in healthcare field by the health practitioner to evaluate how their previous decision regarding care has affected the health of patients and the facts that are to be focussed on for improvement (Vuong et al. 2018). This is essential to let health practitioners understand what went well and what did not in the situation so that changes can be made in future to deliver better care in similar condition. The reflection is applied in healthcare field by healthcare practitioners to identify which skills are to be improved and what skills they do not have in the area of their care delivery (Sims et al. 2015). This is an effective way to be aware of personal strength and weakness of skills and what skills are to be developed and gathered to ensure better care delivery by them in future.

D1 Evaluating own reflections

I reflected on my actions while acting as health visitor and became aware as a professional that I lack proper knowledge regarding the way to holistically communicate and influence all family members to adopt healthy practices. This is evident as the family I was visiting who had an obese child I initially only communicated with mother and found that the mother was controlling healthy eating for all. However, the child’s sister with whom I have not interacted sneaks fast food to the child due to which obesity of the child was not managed. I used Gibb’s reflected cycle to reflect on my professional experience and found that I do not have effective knowledge of executing family therapy. Moreover, I also felt that previously I lacked proper insight to look at all aspects in executing family therapy in case of acting as health visitor in the family with an obese child. However, this led me to realise that I require improving my family therapy knowledge by interacting with other experienced professional and improve my insight to execute family therapy by personally interacting with all family members.

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P3 Explaining the way Practice Themes can be used to implement reflection in learning and practise

There are mainly six Practice Themes in healthcare for reflection which are law, professional value, health and safety, valuing diversity, promoting physical and mental health and applied mathematics (notes). The first Practice Themes which is legal and ethical practice is to be used in reflection to identify whether or not all legal and ethical considerations are followed in the practice based on which the reflection is being written and what went well and what went wrong in respect to legal and ethical aspect in the situation. The theme of professional values, attitudes and behaviour is to be applied in reflection to identify what values and behaviour are to be improved to ensure satisfactory and high-quality care to the patients. The theme of health and safety is to be implemented in reflection to identify what aspects of safety features are managed and how they are managed to understand changes in health and safety to be made next to ensure the well-being of service user. The valuing and promoting diversity theme is to be implemented in reflection to know if the practice has been done in a non-discriminative way or in case discrimination has been made then in what aspects so that it can be resolved next. In relation to promoting physical and mental health, the theme is to be implemented in reflection to understand what aspects are to be improved and what aspects have proven good to improve the physical and mental health of the patients. The applied mathematics theme is to be applied in reflection to understand if proper dosage of medication is provided to the service users to ensure their good health.

P4 Illustrating the links between Practice Themes and other performance indicators

The legal and ethical practice theme is linked with patient satisfaction performance indicator. This is because providing legally and ethically focussed care leads the patients to get high-quality care with fewer errors and feel valued and dignified making them experience satisfaction out of fulfilment of needs and demands of care (Tensen et al. 2016). The health and safety theme is related to patient safety performance indicator. This is because providing health and safety services led the service providers to execute risk management for the patient and the environment as well as delivery protection from any harm or abuse to the patient, in turn, assuring them safety (Yue et al. 2016). The value and promoting diversity is linked with patient satisfaction. This is because non-discriminative care and maintaining diversity leads each of the patients to get equal care which makes them feel valued and satisfied in the sense that no one is given unnecessary advantage of care over another and each is treated in equal manner (Wager et al. 2017). The promotion of physical and mental health is linked hospital readmission performance indicator. This is because the effective promotion of mental and physical health of patients under proper care helps the healthcare practitioners resolve and treat diseases effectively which reduces chances of readmission rates (Gupta and Fonarow, 2018). The applied mathematics theme is related to ensure patient health performance indicator. This is because administering proper dosage of medication ensures improved health performance of the patient as proper medication required by them at the appropriate time to control their health issues are provided (Al-Ahmad, 2019).

M2 Producing a plan for reflection on own learning and development using Practice Themes and other quality assurance indicator

I have planned that while developing my own reflection regarding my practice, I am going to initially focus on legal and ethical practice theme mentioned in the Practice Themes to identify if all legal and ethical practices are properly met. In the next phase, I am going to focus on professional value theme and patient satisfaction indicator to identify what attitudes and behaviours executed in the scenario is done according to professional rules and what improvements are to be made to ensure satisfaction of care for the patients. Later, I am going to focus on promoting physical and mental health theme and hospital readmission indicator in my reflection to identify what more has to be done to ensure better treatment of the patients in improving their physical and mental health so that hospital readmission rates are reduced. Further, I plan to focus on valuing diversity theme in reflection to identify if all the practices have been done in a non-discriminative manner. Next, I plan to focus on health and safety theme in reflection to identify what further risk protection activities are to be implemented and extent of success of the existing safety services provided in the scenario so as to understand improvements to be made in this aspect. Moreover, I would focus on applied mathematics theme to identify different dosage of medication is to be administered to the patient as per their health condition to ensure their individual well-being.

D2 Assessing the effectiveness of the plan

The plan is effective in nature because by initially focussing on law and ethical practices I would be able to identify the rules and policies I have abided and which further rules are to be abided by to ensure legally executing care services. The next focus on the professional value along with patient satisfaction would support me in reflection to identify improvements to be made in my personal and professional skills to ensure quality care to offer improved care satisfaction to patients. Moreover, the effectiveness of the plan to focus on mental and physical health in reflective practice would support me to identify improvements to be made in the treatment of the patient at the earliest to ensure their effective well-being and reduction of hospital readmission. The focus on health and safety theme would help me to identify improvement in practice skills to be made so that the safety and effective health of patients can be assured. The focus on applied mathematics theme would help me to ensure fewer occurrences of medication errors in the setting and assure better health of the patients.

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P5 Explaining methods used for gaining evidence of effective reflective practice in own area

In order to gain evidence for effective reflective practice in my area, I used 360-degree feedback method. The 360-degree feedback method is referred to the process in which an individual receives feedback from employers, supervisors, subordinates, customers as well as self (Cormack et al. 2018). The method is used so that I can identify from all perspectives during reflection about my personal strength and weakness in the care service environment for the patients. It is evident as when I failed to get productive results of controlling an obese child in a family I accessed feedback from my supervisor, colleagues and the family itself. I found through the feedback that I lack knowledge about family therapy and have poor skills in communicating with the family. Moreover, I lack to influence all family members to adopt healthy diet which is evident as I found the sister has been secretly passing fast food to his brother due to which I was unsuccessful to get results in controlling obesity of the child. This information helped me in my reflection to identify my strength and weakness as well as determine my future actions. I also used the SBI Feedback tool to gain evidence for my reflective practice. The SBI (Situation-Behaviour-Impact) Feedback tool helps one to focus on comments and behaviours and outline the effect these have on others (Taguchi et al. 2016). Thus, this tool helped me to gain evidence regarding the behaviour and comments to be focused on in reflection so that I can determine better future actions.

P6 Developing a portfolio of evidence of reflection using practice themes as framework

M3 Analysing own performance and learning using Practice Theme framework

The Practice Theme framework and other quality performance measures inform that while providing care to the family I performed effectively to maintain confidentiality and ethical care support as well as able to provide care by following the legal guidance provided in the legislation. The following of legal guidance and executing ethical care practice helps the carer to avoid facing negative legal actions and provide fruitful care to the service users (Pozgar, 2019). Thus, by maintaining ethical and legal practice I was able to provide proper care to the service user to ensure them care satisfaction. I also effectively managed my professional behaviour and attitude that is essential for me to avoid unnecessary interference regarding the child and family which led to satisfactory behaviour towards them. However, I failed to improve the physical health of the child that leads to the disappointment and dissatisfaction towards my services from the parents and family members.

D3 Evaluating own holistic professional learning and development

The professional learning and development achieved by me through the practice is that I able to identify that I have poor knowledge about the way to use family therapy in controlling health of a child in a family. I also lacked effective insight regarding the way service users are to be safeguarded in the family and made to maintain appropriate care as suggested by health professionals. This led me to develop the information that I require further training and knowledge about family therapy and the way safeguarding of children within the family is to be managed.

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P7 Reviewing evidence gathered in own portfolio

The evidence gathered in own portfolio informs that I require focusing on developing skills regarding family therapy. This is evident as I focused on educating the mother of the child in controlling his health related to obesity whereas I avoid focusing on the child’s sister who also has a potential part to play in the family regarding her brother weight issues as she secretly passes fast food for his brother. The information has effective contribution in my personal and professional development because I understand that in executing successful family therapy to control a child’s health issue I require to professionally interact and influence each family member to participate in the care. Moreover, the information has contributed to led me understand that I require upgrading my analytical ability to identify each of the family members’ contribution in the therapy and communication each one their role to ensure successful care intervention. The portfolio furthers contribute to my professional development by showing evidence that I was not successful in improving physical health of the patients within minimum time. The information contributed to my personal development by directing me that I require to focus on upgrading my care service providing skills so that effective health condition of the patients can be ensured within minimum time.

P8 Producing targets for the development of own professional and career

In order to develop my professional career, my target at first is to become efficient in providing family therapy. I also have the target to ensure better health for the service users within limited time through effective care support. My next target is to develop better problem-solving skills so that immediate actions can be taken by me during hindrances in care to avoid any negative effect on the health of the service user.

M4 Assessing own personal learning and development

My personal learning regarding family therapy is going to inform me about the way each of the family members plays an intricate part in the family system. It is also going to inform me about the way each of the family members is to be communicated and influenced so that they as a whole they support the planned care is effectively delivered to the service user. This is going to positively contribute for my future career pathway as it is going to help me promote collaboration and understanding among family members regarding the way each of them has to support for overcoming the health problem being faced by their family member (Xie et al. 2015). Thus, I would able to deliver successful care to service users without facing barriers from family members. This is evident from the case scenario where due to my lack of efficiency to make the child’s sister understand that fast food is harmful to his brother she secretly provided her brother the foods leading me to fail as a carer and health visitor. My personal learning regarding the exact treatment and arrangement to be made for improving the health of patients would contribute in my future career to execute early and timely recovery of the patients. This is because the learning would lead me to differentiate between kinds of care, in turn, helping me to identify which is the best as per the specific condition and health environment of the patients to ensure them timely recovery.

D3 Evaluating own holistic professional learning and development

My holistic professional learning and development accomplished through practice are that I understood about the personal and professional aspects to be cared by me to provide better care to the service users. This is beneficial for me to improve my personal and professional qualities in delivering satisfactory care to service users. Further, the practice led me to learn about the specific skills to be improved as a health visitor and carer to be successful. This is effective for me to identify the strengths I possess and the weakness I have to resolve as a carer to be professionally successful.

Conclusion

The above discussion informs that reflection is important in health and social care to help service providers understand their weakness and the strength in practice as well as the changes to be made in present strategies to deliver satisfactory care to service users. There are mainly six Practice Themes and each of them when applied in health and social care helps the service provider to deliver high-quality care that meets the needs and demands of service users in a holistic manner.

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