The Importance of Reflection in Healthcare

This assignment explores the importance of reflection in healthcare, discussing its role in improving patient care, enhancing medical staff skills, and promoting emotional intelligence. It highlights the benefits of reflective practice, including better support for individuals, learning opportunities, and improved workplace practices. The report emphasizes the need to avoid plagiarism in academic writing and provides strategies for doing so.

REFLECTION IN HEALTH
AND SOCIAL CARE

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
PART 1............................................................................................................................................1
Meaning and definition of referencing in academic writing..................................................1
Relationship between referencing and plagiarism..................................................................1
Analysing the way referencing adds depth to academic argument........................................2
PART 2............................................................................................................................................2
Personal reflection..................................................................................................................2
PART 3............................................................................................................................................4
The significance of reflection in health and social care.........................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8
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INTRODUCTION
Self-awareness as well as reflection can be defined as a pathway which assists an
individual in his professional development in health and social care. These are the two core
elements which assist an individual in becoming an effective professional in a particular field.
These are experience and learning attitude Reflection can be defined as an activity through which
person can review or reconsider the events, feelings and thoughts from a fresh perspective.
Present report has focus on analyzing the importance of reflection in context of health and social
care. It also emphasizes on identifying the relationship between referencing and plagiarism in
academic writing. Study will demonstrate the way referencing adds the depth to academic
argument.
PART 1
Meaning and definition of referencing in academic writing
Writer while preparing a report on specific topic needs to collect information from
variety of sources such as books, journals, articles and magazines. Referencing is used by writer
for getting an idea about the topic. It assists reader in determining the source from where the
writer has got an idea for writing report.
Referencing in academic writing can be defined as conceding the sources of information
which an individual has utilised in his work. It is the element which enables a reader to
determine or address sources from where information has been gathered by writer while
preparing an assignment. Referencing is important as it enables reader to analyse the contribution
of writer and scholar. It can be considered as a way of providing an evidence for supporting the
assertions as well as claim in assignment (Redmond, 2017). Referencing assists a reader in
ensuring the validity as well as reliability of information which has been included in the report.
Proper referencing assists writers to avoid the chances of plagiarism in assignment. By including
references in report, writer can demonstrate that they have knowledge about the field on which
report is written.
Relationship between referencing and plagiarism
Plagiarism defines the unacknowledged utilization of other scholar or writer works. I, as
this is considered to be a serious offense.
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Providing unauthentic source of references is considered to be as stealing of an intellectual
property. Plagiarism is known to be a serious offence which involves Copying one’s work or
ideas and using them off as his own.
What is Plagiarism and how does referencing prevent it.
Plagiarism is considered to be a fraudulent activity due to which writer might have to face
legal issues. There are high chances of Plagiarism in case writer copies and pastes information
directly from other internet sites. There are various strategies which can be adopted by writers
for avoiding the chances of Plagiarism in academic report. These are individuals who can avoid
the chances of plagiarism by using authentic sources and conducting their own research for
collecting information about the topic (Schön, 2017). Paraphrasing is another strategy which can
be implemented by writers for eliminating issue of Plagiarism in academic assignment.
Analysing the way referencing adds depth to academic argument
Referencing can be defined acknowledging the sources of information that you have
used in your written work at university. It supports academic arguments by showing the
depth of writer's reading on specific topic. Referencing provides source from where reader can
access information about the opinions of different authors and various arguments on specific
topic. It enables reader to ensure that writer has read widely as well as considered and analyzed
the writings of others.
PART 2
Personal reflection
I have joined NHS after completion of post-graduation in medical field. I have gone
through different experiences while working with this organization. Before joining NHS, I was
very much enthusiastic and excited. I felt at the first day of my job in NHS. After few days of my
joining in medical institution, I have seen that complete staff in health and social care institution
was working together for saving life of a person. It was such a pivotal movement. I have learned
a lot of things while working in this medical institution. I have also has gained practical
experience.
I had worked in NHS as an assistant nurse. My role was to support senior doctor or staff
in providing treatment to patients. After few days, I was working with my senior. I have
experienced situation that is I have seen that my senior called the community nurse and
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threatened her. I was not at all prepared for such type of situation. When my senior was scolding
the community nurse, I have mixture of feelings. I felt surprise, shocked and nervous. I analyzed
the reactions of my senior and concluded that if I couldn’t support her arguments to the patient,
then I should remain silent.
During the time of incidence, I was little confused. But afterwards, when I started
preparing notes, I have realized that my senior was right as she was scolding the community
nurse for the biggest mistake done by her which might have serious consequences on patient’s
health. I realized that my senior nurse had concern about the patient’s health. But the method my
senior has used was not appropriate. I also realized that community nurse besides accepting her
mistake she stated that she know about these things. I have realized that my senior has scolded
the community nurse for right thing. I have also understood that my senior only wants
community nurse to realize and accept her mistake.
I have also perceived that the incident happened due to lack of clinical experience. I have
decided that I will take more responsibilities in context of dealing with emergency situation .
After conducting self-assessment, I found myself as less capable as well as knowledgeable and at
the same time, I felt need of training related to medical practices. At training stage, I have
concentrated on developing the skills and knowledge for delivering the good advice, support and
quality services to patients. After attending the training, I have again conducted the self-
assessment in order to judge whether I have been successful or not in achieving my desired
goals. My motive of executing self-assessment is to analyze performance gap and address the
reason for same.
By developing the skills, core competencies and knowledge, I intend to reassure patients,
to support colleagues and to give good advice, but all this requires high level of confidence
which I have gained by continuous self-assessment. Reflective practices helped in identifying the
ways which I would have used when I faced the situation where community nurse was scolded
by my senior. I realized that before joining, I should have conducted the self-assessment which
would have assisted me in dealing with complex situations at workplace. For instance, when my
senior scolded community nurse I couldn’t offer a second opinion, has failed to suggest an idea
that might help support the patient due to lack of self-awareness and clinical experience.
By executing the self assessment I founded that this is my biggest weakness is that I
could not manage situation. I failed in understanding the point of view of my senior which was
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my other major weakness which I need to overcome as understanding other person’s needs and
perception is very much important in context of working in the field of health and social care. I
have realized that learning attitude and effective communication are my strengths. I have planned
that I will seek support from my seniors, friends and will attend seminar as well as training
programs for gaining knowledge about the medical practices in health and social care
institutions. I have planned that I will regularly make use of science for identifying the tactics
that can be applied in context of pain relief and to assume that patients would wish to achieve all
of those benefits. I have realized from my experience in the medical field that being patient
centered is never easy and requires real listening and interpretation skills. Now, I also perceive
that experience is a valuable teacher. I also perceive that professionals can become more aware
of their inherent knowledge and learn from their experiences through the processes of reflecting-
on-action and reflecting-in-action. I have also analyzed that self-awareness and reflection builds
a foundation of knowledge in social care practitioners.
PART 3
The significance of reflection in health and social care
A personal reflection can be defined as a response to a specific stimulus. This is prepared
by a person in order to analyses their own experience, events and feelings. Personal reflection
supports a person in addressing the area of interest. It helps them in identifying the ways to foster
their own personal as well as professional development. Personal reflection also supports an
individual in analyzing their skills, knowledge and abilities. It allows person to identify the area
where they are required to bring improvement (Gorli, Childerstone, and Nicolini, 2017).
In context of heath care area, reflective practices and reflection have become well known
term. Reflective practice can be defined as the potential or capacity to reflect on action in order
to engage in the procedure of continuous learning. It is very important for medical staff or nurses
in health care institution to facilitate reflective practices, as care provides are accountable for
providing the best services top service users according to their abilities. Reflection is considered
to be as important activity, as it allows person to explore as well as capture various growth
opportunities. It helps a person in setting the goals, providing evidence of improvement.
Reflection is important in context of ensuring an effective use of resources. It also enables an
individual to get feedback from others people working in health and social care institution. In
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context of health and social care, effective performance management, self-evaluation can build
the skills and expertise of all staff, not least by identifying and sharing good practice (Glasby,
2017).
It also allows people to address the factors which might have direct as well as great
influence or effect on their performance at workplace. Reflection assist an individual in
formulating a plan for dealing with the challenges or obstacles which are creating the major
barriers in delivering quality as well as timely services to patient. Continuous reflective practices
are considered to be as suitable pathways in relation to becoming effective PR actioner.in
addition to this, reflection practices enable medical PR actioner to reflect with depth as well as
flexibility and to consider a wider choice of meanings and possible options which might help
service user to make positive changes in their lives. Reflective practices also enable a person or
PR action er to develop understanding about the effect they have on others. It helps nurses or
medical staff to analyse the way the act in different situations. Personal reflection also provides
service provider a chance to identify their own strengths and weaknesses.
Reflection can be defined as procedure of reviewing own experience of practices in order
to describe, analyze or evaluate learning needs. Reflective practices support an individual to lean
from their experience. It also allows provides medical staff a chance to review an effectiveness
of their decisions. Reflective practices enable workers to enhance their personal development
and generate self-awareness which is very much important in order to improve performance at
workplace (Mirowsky, 2017). It is very much important for medical staff to get aware about their
own behavior which can be accessed through personal reflection, as this strategy will assist an
individual in dealing working or dealing with vulnerable people. Reflective practices will assist
medial professional in producing a best result at workplace.
Reflection in context of health and social care can be considered to be an effective tool in
practice based professional learning in which person learn from their professional experience. It
is considered to be an important element for maintaining professional status. If in case, medical
PR actioner does not execute reflective practices then in such case there are high chances of
errors. Reflective practices are considered to be very useful as well as helpful in adult social care.
Reflection in context of health and social care is crucial for improving the medical practices. It
also provides medical staff an opportunity to analyses or develop understanding about each
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phase of care giving procedure and make decision related to an appropriate action which can be
taken.
Reflective practices also play an important role in promoting an individual and team
learning. It also aids health and social care institutions in elimination the chances of medical
errors by staff and helps in avoiding different types of risk in the future. Personal reflection is
important as it enables an individual to identify innovative ways of thinking as well as learning
which informed their own practices. It develops a basis of knowledge in medical staff or social
care practitioners. In addition to this, self-awareness which in turn, encourages the worker to
engage in more effective relationships with service users. An Effective reflection has at its
fundamental a healthy curiosity and questioning stance in relation to accepted practices and
underlying assumptions. These questions lead to practitioners taking a closer look at themselves,
their company and practices, which in turn leads to transformation. Reflective practices
encourage medial staff to facilitate learning which increases insight and generates fresh
approaches as well as initiatives which can change practice for the better (Knight and et.al .,
2018).
It is required by management in health and social care institution to provide staff with an
opportunity to conduct self-assessment is considered to be ass an effective strategy implementing
which firm can be encouraged to improve their practices. Importance of self-reflection is that it
helps in making an effective decision making. It also enables management in identifying the
scope of improvement. In addition to this, reflective practices can be considered to be as an
appropriate technique to measure the cognitive aspects of an individual through self-assessment.
Reflective practices are important for nurses in order to enhance their clinical knowledge. Self-
assessment at organizational level allows management to identify the training needs of people.
Continuous reflective practices allow medical staff to manage professional as well as
personal effect of addressing service user fundamental health and needs in regular basis.
Reflective practices also allow person to prepare the strategies for dealing with complex or
critical situations in life (Mullor, 2017). Reflection is considered to be as an effective technique
as it promotes courage in medical staff in context of meeting the unique demands or needs of
patients. Reflection enabled medical staff to discuss their experiences as well as feelings from
caring for those displaced by the tragedy. It enabled nurses to express their feeling and develop
knowledge about their practices.
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Reflective practices at organizational level enables management to identifying the area of
improvement. It also assists manager in analyzing the training need by staff. Reflective practices
at organizational level helps management in identifying an appropriate way to bring
improvement in existing practices. By facilitating continuous reflective practices an individual
can improve their learning process in the future (Suter and Suter, 2018.). It enables medical staff
to take ownership and responsibility for their own learning. Reflective practices also provide an
individual to develop an understanding about their responsibilities and enables them to analyze
the standards they need to practice. It supports medical staff in determining the way their
attitude, beliefs might affect their work within an organization.
Medical staff or nurses in health care institution might facilitate discussion with their
supervisors, as this will assist an individual in giving better support to people whom they care.
Reflective practices enable medical staff to explore as well as capture learning opportunities. It is
essential for person to keep record of their activities, as this will assist nurses in addressing the
area they need to cover. Reflection will also help medical staff in analyzing their own need of
training to refresh skills as well as knowledge (Hurley and Linsley, 2018). Reflective practices
are considered to be as a key component of emotional intelligence. It is an appropriate technique
for developing understanding about self.
CONCLUSION
It has been concluded from the report that referencing is very much important in
academic writing for demonstrating that writer has used reliable and authentic sources for
gathering information. Study has also concluded that reflective practice is very much beneficial
in every field especially in health and social care. It has also been concluded that reflection is an
effective technique which helps an individual in improving practices at workplace. There are
various strategies that have been recommended which can be utilized by writers for avoiding
Plagiarism in academic writing.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Redmond, B., 2017. Reflection in action: Developing reflective practice in health and social
services. Routledge.
Schön, D.A., 2017. The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. Routledge.
Gorli, M., Childerstone, S., Sher, M. and Nicolini, D., 2017. In search of the ‘structure that
reflects’: promoting organizational reflection practices in a UK health authority.
In Organizing reflection (pp. 95-118). Routledge.
Glasby, J., 2017. Understanding health and social care. Policy Press.
Mirowsky, J., 2017. Education, social status, and health. Routledge.
Hurley, J. and Linsley, P., 2018. Emotional intelligence in health and social care: a guide for
improving human relationships. Routledge.
Mullor, M.D.C.M., 2017. LEARNING BASED IN PROJECTS IN THE LINGUISTICAREA:
READING COMREHENSIONAND WRITTING EXPRESSION IN HIGH SCHOOL
EDUCATION THROUGH JOURNALISTIC GENRE. Educación, salud y TIC en
contextos multiculturales: Nuevos espacios de intervención. 60. pp.93.
Knight, and et.al ., 2018. Designing academic writing analytics for civil law student self-
assessment. International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education. 28(1). pp.1-28.
Suter, W.N. and Suter, P.M., 2018. Understanding Plagiarism. Home Health Care Management
& Practice. pp.1084822318779582.
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Surg Onco. 2017. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5673148/>.
The Role of Self-Awareness and Reflection in Social Care Practice. 2017. Online]. Available
through: <https://arrow.dit.ie/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1026&context=jsoc>.
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