Reflective Practice and Evaluation

Understanding Reflective Practice

Appreciate that reflective practice is an ongoing process where professionals examine and review their working experiences.
Remember that it is a means to revisit and analyze decisions or actions with the aim of improving professional practice.
Understand that the objective is to gain deeper understanding and formulate strategies for better outcomes in future similar situations.

Importance of Reflective Practice in Health and Social Care

Recognize that reflective practice is crucial in health and social care due to the dynamic nature of the sector and individuality of each service user.
Understand it contributes to personal and professional development, enabling practitioners to constantly learn and adjust their practice.
Appreciate the role of reflective practice in improving service user outcomes as it encourages evaluation and refinement of care procedures.

Types of Reflection

Know that Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle is commonly used in health and social care, involving steps of description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion, and action plan.
Understand that Schön’s reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action help practitioners to think on their feet during practice and reflect on practice after it happens.
Appreciate Johns’ Model of Structured Reflection, which prompts practitioners to focus on moral and ethical implications of their practice.

Implementing Reflective Practice

Recall the importance of maintaining a reflective diary or journal to document experiences, thoughts, and feelings.
Realise that reflections should be honest and detailed, noting what went well and what could be improved.
Remember to use a structured model for reflection to ensure a thorough process.

Reflective Evaluation

Understand that reflective evaluation involves scrutinizing the effectiveness and impact of care practices.
Keep in mind that this process should focus on measuring outcomes for service users and improving their well-being.
Recognise that this includes reviewing care plans, service delivery methods, and interprofessional collaboration.

Using Feedback in Reflective Evaluation

Recognise the role of feedback from colleagues, service users, and other stakeholders as part of reflective evaluation.
Understand the importance of handling feedback with openness and respect, using it constructively to improve practice.
Realise that feedback can range from formal reviews to informal discussions, and all forms can provide valuable insights.