Personal and Professional Development in Health and Social Care

This document explores the importance of personal and professional development in health and social care practice. It examines the effectiveness of personal contributions within a team setting, analyzes the impact of individual work roles on others, and discusses strategies for minimizing barriers to effective teamwork. The document also delves into the application of innovative and creative thinking to enhance collective effectiveness, drawing upon theories of reflective practice and critical thinking.

HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE PERSONAL AND
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Table of Contents
Task 4.........................................................................................................................................3
References list............................................................................................................................8

Task 4
(AC 4.1) Evaluate the effectiveness of personal contributions when working with others
in health and social care practice using critical reflection on activities undertaken and
self-criticism of approaches used in the workplace (D1)
When working in a team setting in a health or social care practice, one must engage in critical
self reflection to facilitate smooth work flow and cordial relations among team members
(Redmond, 2017). Critical reflection includes the process of thinking of actions, concerns and
methods regarding a particular procedure, during undertaking the procedure. It also extends
to having a certain feeling about the procedure being undertaken, and making necessary
changes in practising it for the next time (Knott and Scragg, 2016).
In order to present a successful self reflection in working with health care or social care
teams, one needs to indulge in honest self criticism and take the necessary approaches. This is
done with the help of applying models of reflection and self criticism given by noted social
philosophers and thinkers.
To present a framework of personal effectiveness in a team setting of social and healthcare
professionals, the Kolb’s model of self reflection is applied here. Kolb’s model of reflection
gives the various stages of learning and self critical assessment that an individual goes
through while working in social environments (Gould and Taylor, 2017).
As a scenario where I have been tasked to develop my personal and professional self for
healthcare and social projects, I would take the following steps in the following stages:
 Concrete experience – The main event or situation of team work where team setting
is encountered is the first stage of reflection. In this stage, one can gain first-hand
experience and knowledge regarding the how, what and why the event. Notes can be
taken down to understand or remember concepts. For example, the main event is to
treat patients suffering from a Zika virus. Placed among the health staff of a hospital,
I would first note down the immediate steps taken by hospital staff when a patient is
admitted.
 Reflective observation – In this stage, mainly the inconsistencies between work as
taught and the real work experience is observed. This is done by noting down points
of anomalies, inadequacies, and considering the entire event form multiple

perspectives to ensure an unbiased reflection. Individual experiences and witness
statements can also be noted down for reflective observation.
So, when the patient is admitted, I would see if what I studied during my course
matches with the practice. These inconsistencies would be in relation to providing
first aid, shifting the patient to a proper ward.
Figure 1: Kolb’s model of self reflection
(Source: McLeod, 2018)
 Abstract conceptualization – This stage is the most practically applicable stage of
self reflection. It leads one to assess previous methods, ideas and attitudes and
develop them according to the need of the situation. The individual indulging in self
reflection can modify the ideas and ‘re-package’ the process through applications of
theoretical understanding (Marsick and Watkins, 2015).
It should be noted that abstract conceptualization is generally done to reduce
ambiguities in a particular procedure and ascertain more concrete statements of
reflection taking the help of theories in relation to the procedure.
For abstract conceptualization, I would see if the patients are being treated with
proper vaccines against Zika. I would check if the treatment is being done in the same
medical stage as given in practitioners books.

 Active experimentation – In this stage, the individual is required to bring into practice
whatever has been reflected till now. As a medical staff myself now, I would take
part in active care unit of Zika virus patients and provide the necessary medication,
by reducing the mistakes that were recorded during my reflection.
(AC4.2) Explain how the limits of own work role impacts on work with others
In order to positively influence work roles of others in a team setting in healthcare and social
units, one needs to be tolerant and as inclusive as possible (Hodge, et al., 2017). The work
styles of people in social scenarios might be different, but keenness to value other’s opinions
and negotiate politely opens up new avenues at workplaces.
In healthcare and social units especially, the team setting is a complex hierarchy of staff who
do not typically share the same knowledge, skills and expertise (Kadushin and Harkness,
2014). Suppose, a nurse would know the best how to bandage a cut and a doctor would know
where exactly to check the pulse when normal heart beat cannot be recorded in a patient’s
body, and so on. As a new addition to the healthcare staff myself, I would normally be
inexperienced among my other team mates. My way of dealing with fresh cuts or wounds
caused during accidents might be slower in comparison with others, so I would make it up
with more interaction and communication with my seniors. That would enhance my
communication as well as build understanding among my team. In addition, I would
undertake the following activities to minimize the negative effects of my work role in
influencing others in my team:
 Interdependent collaboration with my seniors while at work
 Sharing a common objective or goal
 Commitment to my work duties and timings
 Maintaining timelines and delivering work well ahead of deadlines
 Engaging in cooperative venture with those better skilled than myself
 Keeping my aspirations realistic.
(AC 4.3) Analyse own role in minimising barriers to effective teamwork in health and
social care practice.
In order to minimize barriers to ensure effective teamwork in health and social care practice, I
would derive in John’s Ten C’s of Reflection:

 Commitment – I would accept my individual responsibility and be tolerant of changes
 Contradiction – I would patiently note existing inconsistencies in theory and practice
of procedures
 Conflict - I would employ the energy from potential conflicts into taking a necessary
operations and actions
 Challenge – I would overcome my own ideas, beliefs and perceptions in a way that it
does not harm anyone else
 Catharsis – I would work my way out of negative emotions
 Creation – I would move beyond the normal and think of creative collaboration
 Connection – I would constantly thrive to connect my practical insights to theories
 Caring – I would integrate desirable practice with daily reality
 Congruence – I would mirror the virtue of care and show it in my practical experience
with health or social care organizations
 Constructing – I would engage in personal knowledge constructivitism and enhance
productivity.
(AC 4.4) Discuss how to improve personal contributions to the collective effectiveness of
a team applying innovative and creative thoughts (D3)
In order to improve personal contributions to enhance the collective effectiveness of my
team, and engage in innovative and creative thoughts, I would engage in cognitive learning,
critical thinking and self awareness at all levels of daily life as well as during work.
I would further engage in the critical theory of reflective learning given by the faculty of
Health and Social Care of Open University. According to the theory, reflective practice is the
key to applying innovative and creative thinking in team settings. This reflective practice is a
mixture of self awareness, critical reflection and critical thinking as explained in the diagram
below:

Figure 2: Theory of reflective practice
(Source: Shardlow, et al., 2015)
Applying the theory at my workplace would ensure the practice of critical reflection in my
everyday work experience which would further accelerate the work flow within my team
setting leading to more creativity and innovation.

References list
Gould, N. and Taylor, I., 2017. Reflective learning for social work: research, theory and
practice. Routledge.
Hodge, S., Murata, N. and Lieberman, L., 2017. Essentials of teaching adapted physical
education: Diversity, culture, and inclusion. Routledge.
Kadushin, A. and Harkness, D., 2014. Supervision in social work. Columbia University Press.
Knott, C. and Scragg, T. eds., 2016. Reflective practice in social work. Learning Matters.
Marsick, V. and Watkins, K., 2015. Informal and incidental learning in the workplace
(Routledge revivals). Routledge.
McLeod, S. (2018). Kolb's Learning Styles and Experiential Learning Cycle | Simply
Psychology. Simplypsychology.org. Available at:
https://www.simplypsychology.org/learning-kolb.html [Accessed 19 Jun. 2018].
Redmond, B., 2017. Reflection in action: Developing reflective practice in health and social
services. Routledge.
Shardlow, S., Aldgate, J., Gibson, A., Brearley, J., Daniel, B., Statham, D., Sheppard, M.,
Macdonald, G., Marsh, P., Walker, S. and Doel, M., 2015. Handbook for practice learning in
social work and social care: knowledge and theory. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.