Skills for learning in care

Skills for Learning in
Care
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
1. Kolb model of reflection and skill audit for analysing strengths and weaknesses..................3
2. Two stressors associated with healthcare manager and appropriate recommendations..........8
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11
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INTRODUCTION
Healthcare refers a department and working area in which healthcare providers try to
improve health of people by making an effective use of skills and relevant knowledge (Hollnagel
and Braithwaite, 2019). This study is going to show importance of having knowledge relevant to
healthcare. It will also show requirement of some skills by which a healthcare provider can
provide better healthcare services to patients. All skills which this study will discuss include:
Empathy, critical thinking, an effective communication etc. By reflecting own areas of strengths
and weaknesses, an individual can improve their skills by using appropriate ways and with
Kolb's reflective model.
MAIN BODY
1. Kolb model of reflection and skill audit for analysing strengths and weaknesses
Health and social care refers an area or treatment of medical condition in health centres,
hospitals and in community. For providing effective health care services to patient and improve
their health, it is important to have several skills and knowledge of all diseases and ways to cure
them. In health care department, healthcare providers must posses several skills such as: critical
thinking, team working, effective communication etc. As per the Kolb's reflective model, we can
identify our own experience, strengths and weaknesses. Identification of own strengths and
weaknesses play an important role as it allows an individual to identify all those areas in which
they want to make improvement in order to accomplish goals (Kamis and Khan, 2019). As per
this model, we can identify all skills which are required and our strengths and weaknesses areas.
Concrete experience
In this stage, I can say that it is important to participate in a team for working on some
tasks and performing activities. By working in a team we can understand our strengths and
weaknesses areas and all those skills which we posses and which we need to improve. In this
context, I can say that I worked in several groups and team in healthcare department. While
working in team I identified that working in a team increase knowledge and skills of all people. I
found that by working in a team, my skills related to healthcare got improved (Schultz, McEwen
and Griffiths, 2016).
Reflective observation
It is the second stage, in which people identify all those areas of themselves in which they
are good and in which they need to make some improvement. Communication is one of the main
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skill which is required in healthcare services and other department as well. For knowing own
skills and weaknesses, it is important to have effective communication skills by which we can
talk and interact with others. I found that active listening, verbal and non-verbal skill is vital in
healthcare. An effective communication skill allowed me to accomplish my goals and interact
with different nature of people (Morris and Donovan, 2019.). I also found that an active listening
skill allow people to analyse all informations in a detailed and effective manner which reduces
situation of conflicts.
Abstract conceptualization
It is third stage which refers a process of making sense of what has happened by
interpreting events and understanding relationship between them. In this context, while working
in a team and with my experience, I can say that I am good in critical thinking skills. Critical
thinking is an ability of thinking a situation and all other things in both positive and in a
negative manner. While, working in healthcare department I came to know that critical thinking
skills play a vital role. For providing better healthcare services, it is important for healthcare
providers to analyse each situation in both positive and in a negative manner. It helps them out in
making the best decision and improve health of patients. Improvement of health of patient
depend upon the treatment given by healthcare and an effective treatment requires an effective
analyses of patients' health situation. So, from this example, I can be say that critical thinking
skills play an important role in social and healthcare (Meyer, 2018).
In addition, I also analysed that team working and self management skills also play an
important role. I found that while working in than working individually increases knowledge and
skills by which we can provide better services to patients. It also develops relationship with
others. Self management refers an ability by which an individual direct themselves in a right
direction for accomplishing goals. In self management, we need to control ourselves and monitor
own activities as which skills we need to develop more and in which areas we are effective. Self
management is a combination of several skills such as: problem solving, communication, time
management, strengthening memory etc. With the help of self management skill, we can manage
condition of patients in an efficient manner. This skill also allow us to know about using
appropriate resources in a rightly manner and in an appropriate situation. It helps us out in
making the situation in our favour by focusing on self monitoring and controlling (Rawles,
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2019). In this context, I can say of team working plays an important role. From self analysis and
working on different task, I also found that i am good in this skill.
In addition, in the context of skills required in health and social care, it can be said that
creative thinking and independent enquiry also plays an important role. Creative thinking
means thinking out of the box and in an efficient manner which can allow healthcare providers to
treat patients. Healthcare providers have to ask several questions to patients in order to know
their actual problem and situation. So, it is important for them to have an ability to enquire all
informations and things from them independently. One of the main aim of having independent
enquiry is to reduce dependency and having confidence of working. By increasing these skills, it
is important for healthcare providers to make patients feel comfortable and valued.
Effective participation also makes an individual able to work in an efficient manner. I
felt that when all members work in a team and those who have willingness of working in a team
and ability to participate in a team effectively then it increases their knowledge and also impacts
on their performance and productivity in health care.
On the basis of above discussed skills which are required in healthcare, analysed my own
skills and found out both strengths and weaknesses areas in which I am good and those areas in
which I am not good and need to improve.
Strengths
From self analyses or self assessment, while working in a team on some projects I found all those
areas in which I am good. It includes all those skills which I posses include:
Critical and creative thinking: While working in a healthcare department and on the
basis of previous experience, I can say that I am good in these skills. I found that my decision
main skill are good as I analyse a situation in both positive and in a negative manner. In the
context of healthcare and providing healthcare services to patients I analyse their situations in a
critic way in order to find out the best way of providing treatment as per their situation (Brodin,
2016). I also found that this skill helped me out in improving health of patients.
Team work: Team working is other main skill and strength which I posses. As per the
experience while working in healthcare department, I found that I feel better when I work in a
team. I can collaborate and cooperate with any type of people in an efficient manner. I also found
that while working in a team and this ability help us in increasing our knowledge related to
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project on which we work and profession. Team working skills also improved my relationship
with my colleagues and all team members which made me feel valued and motivated.
Effective participation: Team working ability is effective and work effectively only
when an individual have willingness and ability to participate in group. There are several people
who do not prefer working in a team as they like working individually. But I have both team
working and effective participation in team and in any type of project skills. These both skills
helped me out in my profession in improving health of patients. It is also made up of several
skills or it can be said that there is a requirement of having active listening skills, interpersonal
skills and other skills for increasing effective participation skills (D’Agostino and et.al., 2017).
Flexibility: In healthcare flexibility or ability to adapt changes also play an important
role. This ability makes an individual or healthcare provider able to provide better services to
patients as per the changing situation. I found that I have this skill which helped me out in my
profession and made me able to improve my performance (Bertollo and et.al., 2020).
Weaknesses
While working in a team and on some projects in healthcare, I found that there are
several skills which I need to improve and some areas in which I am not effective. Some skills
which I do not posses created several problems in the path of success. All those areas and skills
which are required in healthcare, but I am not effective include:
Time management: Time management is one of the main skill which does not only
required in healthcare but also play important role in daily lives. Time management is an ability
of competing all given tasks including emergency in a timely manner and submitting project in
given deadline. An effective time management skill reduces stress and tension. When an
individual complete all given task and emergency work in a timely manner than they feel
refreshed and tension free. I found that I lack in this skill, sometimes I delayed in submitting
project or competing given task like screening patients reports in a given deadline. It frustrated
me and created all other problems in my path of my success (Sonnino, 2016). So, I can say that I
need to focus on improving this skill and improve patient's health by improving this skill.
Independent inquiry: Independent inquiry is one of the skill is an ability by which a
healthcare provider engage all patients in the process of inquiry and informations taking. I can
say that it is important for healthcare providers to engage all patient in healthcare providers and
treatment process for taking relevant informations as what they are feeling etc. I felt while
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working on some projects that I lack in this skill. I found that I do not have ability to make
patients feel comfortable at my own as I require help of my colleagues and peers in order to
engage different types of patients in the process of treatment. So, I need to improve this skill for
improving health of patient and my career as well.
Effective communication: It is one of the important skill which is the key of the success
in healthcare department. An effective communication refers an ability to interact and
communicate with different type of people and understanding what other people are trying to
say. To make patients and other people understand out feelings and exchange information in an
efficient manner is considered communication skill. I found that I cannot effectively
communicate with patients. I lack in verbal communication skills. Written skills are effective so,
I need to focus on improving verbal communication skill in order to make patients feel
comfortable and understanding their feelings (Shaw, 2018).
For improving all those areas in which I am not good and lack in some skills, I need
to make an effective action plan such as:
Skills need to be
improved
Resources for improvements Time
Communication For improving verbal communication I can take help of
peers and colleagues and ask them to ask some frequent
questions related to healthcare services. I will focus on
active listening skill and keep my self calm and relax in
all type of situation in order to understand human
behaviours. By asking for honest feedbacks from
superiors, speaking over and over again in an efficient
manner can help me out in improving this skill.
25-30 days.
Time management For improving time-management I will make a time table
and list of all works. By making list I will prioritize
important work and mark them with expected time of
completing. I will try to complete all those work as per
the given time. By practising all works over and over
again and decreasing procrastination, I can improve this
It will take
around 20-25
days.
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skill.
Independent
inquiry
I need to compete process of healthcare treatment at my
own without taking help of others. So, for this I need to
ask frequent questions from patients and others,
improving active listening skill in order to understand and
gather informations, considering alternatives and working
together in order to plan for action. By understanding
behaviours of patients and making myself and patients
comfortable in treatment and inquiry process, I can make
myself independent.
Approximate 30
days
So, from the above action plan, I can improve all those skills which can make a
healthcare provider successful in their profession and in career as well (Li and et.al., 2019).
2. Two stressors associated with healthcare manager and appropriate recommendations
Managing day to day operations in healthcare department is not an easy task for
healthcare managers. They have to face several problems. There are several factors occur which
makes them frustrated and stressed. All these factors which make them stressed are known as
stressors. In healthcare department, some stressors which affect healthcare managers in a
negative manner include: long working hours, difficult cases, high workloads etc. Main two
stressors which majorly affect healthcare managers are: high workloads and difficult cases.
High workloads: The heavy workload in healthcare is one of the main problem or
stressor for healthcare managers and nurses. It makes them frustrated often. There are several
reasons which are increasing work load for healthcare managers such as: inadequate supply of
nurses, increasing overtime due to increased number of diseases and patients, reduction in patient
length of stay. One of the main reason is shortage of nurses. People nowadays, not prefer to enter
this field due to increasing number of diseases, ineffective working environment. All these
factors are increasing workload on healthcare managers and rest of staff. Due to increasing
number of patients and diseases, they have to work overtime and for approximate 24-48 hours.
They get frustrated when they work for longer hours (Dyrbye and et.al., 2017). In addition, in
this context it can also be said that heavy workload and lack of nurses does not only affect
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healthcare managers and make them frustrated but it adversely affects patients' safety and their
health as well. It also affects other rest of staff, when they get frustrated than do not stay in an
organization which is increasing turnover rate. All these factors are affecting healthcare
managers and their performance in a negative manner.
Difficult cases: Difficult cases is one of the other main problem which is affecting
healthcare managers and nurses of healthcare department in a negative manner. It is stated that
medical residents who deal with difficult patients are approximate 42% more likely to get
diagnosis of a complex medical case wrong. It is also estimated that about 5-10% of outpatients
experienced diagnostic mistakes every year. It creates problems for healthcare managers. At
initial stages, patients do not take care of themselves and after some times when they feel
(serious) than they visit hospitals (Williams and et.al., 2017). These critical cases in a rapid
manner are frustrating nurses and healthcare managers to the great extent. They have to give
enough time to treat all critical and serious patients. It takes time and cost as well. They become
frustrated when they do not find effective ways to treat serious patients. It decreases their morale
and make them stressed. So, it can be said that increasing rate of difficult cases are one of the
main stressor which are affecting healthcare managers.
Recommendations
For solving all these problems, it is recommended that they should make an effective use
of emotional intelligence and problem-solving approach.
Emotional intelligence: Emotional intelligence or patient-centred care approach is
known as one of the effective model which can help healthcare managers in reducing stressors
and problems which make them stressed. This refers an ability to use their own emotions in
critical cases in order to manage them positively. For healthcare managers, it is important to
improve this ability and being calm in difficult situations to better communicate and empathize
with their patients (Jimmerson, 2017). It can also be recommended to healthcare managers that
by making use of traditionally myopic patient-care standards for providing holistic approach to
patients' outcomes.
Problem-solving approach: It is one of the main and effective approach which can help
healthcare managers and nurses to reduce all difficult situations and make themselves able to
provide better services to patients. As per this approach, healthcare managers need to identify the
main problem, generating possible solutions. After analysing and making list of solutions, they
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also need to find alternatives and implementing solutions. By using this process in difficult cases,
healthcare managers can make themselves calm and refreshed (Nightingale and et.al., 2018).
So, from the above discussed strategies, it can be said that, healthcare managers can improve
health and quality of healthcare services by using strategies and approaches.
CONCLUSION
From the above study, it has been summarized that communication, time management,
critical thinking skills played a vital role in healthcare services. It made an individual and
healthcare provider able to provide better services to patients and improving their health. Further,
it has also shown importance of analysing own skills with the help of skill audit as it allows an
individual to identify their own areas of strengths and weaknesses by which they can take steps
to improve them accordingly. An effective reflection also allow an individual to identify skills
which are required for them in order to accomplish goals and gathering all informations relevant
to their topic. Kolb's reflective model also played a vital role as it help people in evaluating
themselves regarding relevant topic. Lastly, it has shown some stressors like work load, long
working hours and tight deadlines which affect healthcare managers.
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REFERENCES
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address this underrecognized threat to safe, high-quality care. NAM perspectives.
Hollnagel, E. and Braithwaite, J., 2019. Resilient health care. CRC Press.
Jimmerson, C., 2017. Value stream mapping for healthcare made easy. CRC Press.
Kamis, A. and Khan, B.K., 2019. Synthesizing Huber's problem solving and Kolb's learning
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on caring behaviour towards patients in clinical and long-term care settings: Findings
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Rawles, Z., 2019. Essential Knowledge and Skills for Healthcare Assistants and Assistant
Practitioners. Routledge.
Schultz, K., McEwen, L. and Griffiths, J., 2016. Applying Kolb’s learning cycle to competency-
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Shaw, M.L., 2018. Effective Communication Skills for Healthcare Workers.
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Sonnino, R.E., 2016. Health care leadership development and training: progress and pitfalls.
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