Reflective Essay on Academic and Professional Skills

This reflective essay discusses the experience of developing academic and professional skills through Gibb's reflective model. It explores the use of effective communication, problem-solving, and critical analysis in a real-life workplace scenario. The essay highlights the importance of practical knowledge and the differences between theoretical and practical skills.

Reflective essay

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAINBODY...................................................................................................................................3
Reflection Model.........................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Professional skills are those skills that are does not teach in academics as part of course
even it is developed while working in the job place. Professional skills are good communication,
leadership, mentoring, problem-solving, critical analysis etc. are value-added skills which are
important for any career that’s why these are known as career competencies. While academic
skills are known as core skills which are acquired by teachers in academics. These skills are
writing skills, presentation skills, critical thinking and others.. In this report will discuss about
academic and professional skills experience through Gibb’s reflective model.
MAINBODY
Reflection Model
Gibb’s reflective model is highly popular model that is used for interpreting personal
reflection and implement in different scenario and assists to analyze effectively. American
psychologist and sociologist Grahams Gibbs were proposed this model. This Gibb’s reflective
approach is a systematic approach to understand whole learning program and have other
appropriate learning outcomes improved through different techniques and approaches
implemented in this framework (Ardian, Hariyati and Afifah, 2019). I used this model to share
my feeling while working with such workplace and has supported me to develop professional
skills. With this model I have analyzed all my strengths, weaknesses and driving factors etc.
supports me to be productive and manage my career plan effectively. The model is described as
follows:
Description
In the primary stage of the reflective model whereas explains about event on which
reflection is based on in detail. I have completed my diploma in NVQ (National Vocational
Qualification) that is a work-based learning from the collage. While studying in the academic
delegates different tasks by teachers to the student. The reason behind is that they want to
analyze competency level of individuals while dealing with realistic issues. Thus, academic
teacher has allotted a task to make report on patients’ condition in the Care UK organization
which was required to complete on time (2 weeks) to achieve high scores in diploma. As I knew

I required soft skills such as effective communication skills, problem-solving skills etc. to make
report on patients’ condition because care UK company offers wide range of services like health
care services for the disabled and old age people and social care services also offers by Care UK
to make such patient independent and socially connected. So, definitely I would need to practice
my effective communication skills to communicate with such patients then I could enable to
make report over their condition. There are wide number of people who were working on their
project more effectively. The reason behind was that it will support to improve career
opportunities. I was needed to cover realistic information on patients’ condition within given
time period and must give effective and realistic report which reflects positive image in the
analyzer mind for me. I visited Care UK company with the reference of academic teacher. Care
UK company is a British company that provides health and social care services Which
collaborates with councils, clinical commissioning groups and doctors to give best care and
support to old aged people and others who learns with disability as well as other healthcare
services to NHS patients (Arumugam and et.al., 2017).
With the academic teacher reference, I met to manager of the Care UK company who
sent a worker of the organization with me to visit whole organization. Then I requested to Care
UK’s manager to work in disability and old aged departments and really, he such general hearted
person. He allowed me to work in the disability and old aged departments. In the second day I
was too excited to work in the department and bit nervous because I was lacking behind the time.
To complete my all tasks within given time deadline developed a plan by me to enlist number of
activities related to my report which directed me to execute all tasks in precise manner. I
communicated with disabled people to know about their feelings and viewpoints within
organization and on about their learning. Then I communicated with older people and offered
them needed services which they required. Thus, one weak I spent with those patients who were
disabled. While second weak I worked in the old aged patients who needed immense love and
support. While working within Care UK company I observed there were various skills wherein I
was lacking behind and other was damn good. However, I also took guidance from my senior
authorities while working in Care Group because I wanted to give my best services within
company and ensure that report is prepared by me should be creative and different as comparison
other students. Thus, I prepared my report that was properly dependent on the patient condition

in the Care UK company and represented to my academic teacher who praised me a lot on my
work (Fontaine, 2018).
Feelings
It is another stage wherein mentions realistic feelings before and after event. While
working on the given task has numerous emotions in me like it was not my first task but it is
quite different from other tasks because most of the time, I completed task on the basis of
theoretical aspects but this task is realistic and properly based on practical knowledge. So, I was
bit nervous to listen time deadline. As I know Care UK is a big heath and social care
organization which occupy large number of patients within organization along with extensive
health and social care services (Kang, (2017). So, it was not easier task to analyse all patients
condition within given period of time. But I was excited to work to work on this task because it
related to my field and there were various things that I have learned while taking session in
collage. While working within Care Group I experienced various new things which I never faced
before such as I was lacking behind to communicate with disabled people and old aged people
which caused, I was unable to access their thinking regarding organization’s services. While I
did all things same as I read in academics to deal with situation. According to Nigam and
Sharma, (2019) people with disability needs emotional and physical supports which they expect
to others. When I gave such support to some disabled people, they got anger on me and said
don’t show us that we are disabled. That time I felt like what was my mistake I did same as I
read in books and journals. As same with old aged patients who were suffering from different
disease.
When I used my soft skills like communication to communicate with old age and
disabled patients that time, I felt more discomfort because each have age difference so it was
quite difficult to communicate with them in equal manner. But I felt great when I used my
problem-solving skills to deal with patients’ issues. Even I got appreciation from nursing team as
well. when I spend my two and three days with nursing staff while offering health acer and social
care services to such patients by and by, I become used to communicate with them more
effectively. Even most of the patients have started to like my company and I have started to make
them understand by communicating them effectively. Within few days I felt like I am the major
part of the Care UK company. According to Sekarwinahyu, Rustaman and Widodo, (2019)

almost all old aged patients feels social exclusion themselves and expects that someone
understand their feelings and treats them normally. So, I gave my most of the time with old aged
patients and set their daily routine activities on the behalf of them. But I felt I interrogating old-
aged people privacy which were making some patients bit rude for me. Thus, each patient in the
organization have different behaviour which was quite accordingly my theoretical knowledge.
So, it became bit complexing situation for me and were consuming more time to complete report.
The best part of my life was that when I started to communicate with the patient in Care UK that
time, I resolved number of issues within workplace such as there were various new patients who
admitted in disability department and old aged department. They felt alone themselves and
highly depressed I made them feel comfortable while communicating with them and supported
them to do those things which one they like the most. To make disabled patients and people
empowered made plan to give communication class by me. I requested to all people with
disability to participle in class and shows their abilities which makes them happier. With the
communication class and other physical and mental activities through I made them feel that they
are independent and quite normal like other common people. Thus, I empowered disabled people
within Care UK organization.
Due to supporting nature have gained immense blessings from the patients and manager
of Care UK praised me a lot. However, when I have examined all informative information for
my report then it assisted me enhance my practical knowledge based on the different new facts
which I added in my report (Liand et.al., 2020). When my report based on Care UK’s patients’
condition was fully completed, that time I felt more comfortable. Actual it was outstanding
feeling for me that I completed my given task within given time duration.
Evaluation
It is also another essential stage of Gibb’s reflective model that supports to evaluate all
things like which went right or wrong. These are highly essential to examined that the task was
effectively achieved or not. For example, I was able to resolve all issues of social and healthcare
workers related to Care UK patients which were arising to deal with new patients within
workplace. For example, two new patients with disability were admitted in Care Group were not
feeling comfortable because nursing staff unable to understand their feeling. Then I
communicated with nursing staff and said that creates friendly environment for them then and

gives priorities in food timing while preparing medication schedule for them. These all
knowledge I have learned from academic books and journals related to my course whereas other
authors Dirth and Branscombe, (2019) have shared some facts about disabled people in their
published research paper that people with disability requires friend zone and wants all people
treats them normally like other enable person. They need guidance in their learning and
encouragement of giving best performance. When I recommended to Care UK’s social workers,
they praised me and did same as I said as resulted new admitted patients started to give their high
engagement in all activities which were used to organize for other disabled patients. While in
old aged department I observed that there were some employees who were not treating old aged
patients well for example some old-aged patients were aggressive nature and were not following
daily routine schedules, in that state nursing staff were shouting and forcing them to follow
schedule. To see this seen, I felt bad and I requested to nursing staff to treat them emotionally
and being act as good friend.
I read in some journals and reviews articles on old aged patients behaviour are illustrated
by Bamberg Geiger, (2017) that there are number of patients with old aged who have different
viewpoints and attitude like some old aged patients requires that some people lives with for long
time while others are angry nature who needs people treats them with calm and most respect.
According to healthcare principles each patient of the organization must be treated with respect
and dignity through nursing and social worker staff while offering care services. Thus, I
performed well in Care UK organization and met different personalities who made me more
impressed. With the support of nursing staff and social workers as well as patients I gathered
informative information for my report. Whatever content was written by me in the report that
was liked by academic teachers. When I completed my all task related to report then needed to
represent in front of my academic teachers and students. However, I gain high marks based on
my content because that quite relevant and more realistic to my report. The most interesting thing
in my report was interpretation which did more well as per the view of my teachers. There were
number of things which went wrong while working with Care UK’s staff such as I was unable to
communicate with old-aged patients effectively because there were number of patients who have
hearing impairment and others have mental disorder etc. Due lack of clarity in their speaking
unable to understand them which led miscommunication between me and old aged patients. But I
have skill to read facial expression which helped me a lot to understand needs of patients. Thus, I

felt I was lacking behind number of skills and a most essential thing that I understood that
practical knowledge is quite different from theoretical knowledge. Overall, my experience was
quite interesting and bit anxious.
Analysis
It is also an essential step of Gibb’s reflective model that is relevant to the evaluation of
learning which is generally developed by individual or group of people while performing
activities for certain tasks. I acquired number of skills while working within Care UK i.e.
effective communication that helped me to take proper guidance from organization’s manager
and senior authorities to deal with disabled and old-aged people (Cherkis and Rosciano, 2018).
thus, I included all informative information related to patients in this report. This practical
experience supported my understand importance of effective reading of facial expression
because it solved different issues which could act as barrier in the workplace for me. I have
developed other skills like motivation, analytical skills and time management skills which will
support me in future career plan. In addition, I have experienced negative things as well while
working in the Care UK organization such as lack of communication skills I was unable to
understand patient needs and expectations. With this weakness I have understood that effective
communication plays vital role to negotiate people to work in right direction and make them feel
comfortable within workplace. If a person have good communication skills then it became easier
for him to interact any type of personality effectively. Apart from this, I also learned that
theoretical knowledge and skills are quite differ from practical knowledge and skills. Thus, I
learned lots of things from my mistakes which I committed in the Care UK company and I have
planned that I will improved my communication skills and more emphasize on my practical
knowledge instead of theoretical knowledge for such type task.
Conclusion
This stage is properly relevant with looking back at entire situations that deal while
working on the task precisely. When I observed my report and the initiatives which could be
taken more effectively to achieve desirable outcomes. When I analysed my report then I found
that there were many things which completed quite impressively. Due to lack of behind of
communication skills and practical knowledge I was unable to perform effectively within Care

UK company which reflects in my report as well (Dhaliwal, Singh and Singh, 2017). it caused I
did not achieve high scores that made me disappointed because I was expecting to gain high
scores. So, I have planned to improve my weak area as soon as possible and practices all
guidance of academic teachers and other seniors who posses’ practical knowledge.
Action plan
It is final step of Gibb’s reflective model wherein number of actions could be practiced in
the future to deal with similar scenario. I framed all my weaknesses because I know these will
support to enhance my personality and set of employability skills. I have planned that I will
emphasize on my practical knowledge next time while working in similar places so that I can
create actual creative solutions (Wales, 2018). As well as I will understand with such patients
who associated with disability or old aged issue by communicating them effectively. Thus, I can
make my report more attractive, relevant and realistic in future and will achieve high marks. I
also planned if I will get same opportunity in future then I will perform like responsible worker
within such healthcare organization so that I can put more efforts to prepare effective report and
makes people appreciable for me. I have decided I will visit such organization per year in
holidays and offers my services by communicating them effectively. Based on the marks grading
have analysed by me that the report was not much informative which was expected academic
teacher but next time I will keep precaution of such issues. Thus, I will improve my practical
experience and communication skills effectively.
CONCLUSION
This report has been summarized about Gibb’s reflective model and it’s significance to
elaborated personal experience and feelings. With this report has analysed that theoretical
knowledge and practical knowledge kept wide difference from each other. Academic skills were
properly based on theoretical concept while professionals’ skills were properly developed
through practical concept which has conclude in the report through incident. The brief study has
been summarized all five stage of Gibb’s reflective model in this report.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Ardian, P., Hariyati, R.T.S. and Afifah, E., 2019. Correlation between implementation case
reflection discussion based on the Graham Gibbs Cycle and nurses’ critical thinking
skills. Enfermeria clinica, 29, pp.588-593.
Arumugam, B and et.al., 2017. Reflective writing–how a medical student can reflect?. Journal of
Education Technology in Health Sciences, 4(2), pp.47-53.
Cherkis, F. and Rosciano, A., 2018. Reflective practice: Implementation across
curriculums. International Journal of Nursing Research Health Care, 7.
Dhaliwal, U., Singh, S. and Singh, N., 2017. Reflective student narratives: honing
professionalism and empathy. Indian J Med Ethics, 3(1), pp.9-15.
Fontaine, S.J., 2018. Becoming a reflective practitioner. The Veterinary Nurse, 9(4), pp.180-187.
Li, Y and et.al., 2020. Nurses’ Psychological Feelings About the Application of Gibbs Reflective
Cycle of Adverse Events. American Journal of Nursing, 9(2), pp.74-78.
Sekarwinahyu, M., Rustaman, N.Y. and Widodo, A., 2019, November. Problem-based learning
skills and reflection skills of biology education students through the problem-based
online tutorial. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 1280, No. 3, p. 032004).
IOP Publishing.
Dirth, T.P. and Branscombe, N.R., 2019. Recognizing ableism: A social identity analysis of
disabled people perceiving discrimination as illegitimate. Journal of Social
Issues, 75(3), pp.786-813.
Baumberg Geiger, B., 2017. Benefits conditionality for disabled people: Stylized facts from a
review of international evidence and practice. Journal of Poverty and Social
Justice, 25(2), pp.107-128.
Kang, J., 2017. FAMILY CAREGIVING: GENDER DIFFERENCES IN TIME USE AND
PERCEIVED TIME PRESSURE OF MIDDLE-AND OLD-AGED
CAREGIVERS. Innovation in Aging, 1(suppl_1), pp.803-803.
Nigam, K.K. and Sharma, A., 2019. Health Related Problems and Their Consequences
Influencing Old Aged People. Community Med, 10(7), pp.425-428.
Wales, T., 2018. The View From Within: A Personal Reflection on Library Strategy
Development in Three Academic Libraries. New Review of Academic
Librarianship, 24(3-4), pp.442-456.