Nursing Reflective Practice: Case Studies and Analysis

Nursing Reflective Practice

Introduction:
This report has been written in accordance with the reflection of learning of the workplace
and the experience that I’ve collected while completing my Bachelor of Nursing course at
CSU. Three experiences of mine from the workplace will be stated in this report and will also
be addressed with the help of Gibbs reflective Cycle to know the knowledge that I’ve
gathered from the workplace experiences. Gibbs reflective Cycle is used for the purpose of
reflective leaning and to share the experiences gained while performing a task and the
framework was provided by Graham Gibbs in the year 1988 (Davies, 2012). There are
altogether seven Registered Nurse Standards for Practice in Australia and three of them,
which include thinking critically and analyzing Nursing Practices, engaging in therapeutic
and professional relationship as well as maintaining capability of practices will be described
respectively with the help of case studies along with personal experience from Gibbs
reflective Cycle.
Case study 1- Ms X
Description
Ms X was admitted to the elderly ward when she was diagnosed with advanced mixed
bilateral leg ulcers. I along with my superior professionals started delivering care to her
according to the guidelines. She was very quiet and unwilling to talk with me during my
sessions with her. We gave her evidence-based safe and quality practice for wound
management as per the first NMBA standard, but her ulcers did not heal. In order to
understand her case study and as per the fourth NMBA standards RNs must accurately
conduct comprehensive and systematic assessments, I redid all the assessments with her
(Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, 2016). I cultivated an interpersonal association
with her and found out that her mental condition is disturbed as she was self-conscious and

stressed due to her obesity. She underwent psychoanalysis and then psychotherapy. Her
behaviour as well as her wounds improved.
Feelings
I was astonished to find out that Ms X’s mental issues were hindering her physical care so
much that her wounds did not heal. I also felt disappointed with myself that we could not
identify the state of her mental condition as I did not follow the second standard of NMBA,
which suggests engaging in therapeutic and professional relationship through effective
communication.
Evaluation
Ms X’s case was difficult for me as I could not identify the domain of practice which was
lacking in my care delivery. My practice included pain settlement, wound management,
educative sessions, etc. according to the standards of NMBA. In spite of giving appropriate
service, no positive outcome was observed. Ms X’s mental state obstructing her physical
symptoms improvement came as a surprise to me. I could not believe an elderly woman could
be so self-conscious about her weight.
Analysis
It can be analysed that Ms X’s mental condition should have been assessed at the start of her
care planning as the fifth standard of NMBA suggests development of safe and
comprehensive nursing plans based on the assessments. Various researches have proved the
significance of motivation, social assistance, spouse relationship in care delivery, etc. as a
contributor in wound healing. However, I only paid attention on medicinal therapy. I
practiced a disease-centred care instead of a person-centred framework which is should have
as per second NMBA standard. I should have understood that good therapeutic