Reflective Writing: Unpreparedness Placement Experience and the Effect of COVID-19 on Training as a Student Nurse

This reflective writing explores the unpreparedness placement experience of a student nurse and the impact of COVID-19 on their training. It discusses the use of Gibbs reflective cycle to analyze the situation and highlights the positive and negative experiences. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of providing training to student nurses in similar situations.

Written reflection

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Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Reflective writing is the part of learning as it aware individual about their experiences
and what they all have learnt with it. It can be said that each and every experience of the
individual directly makes them learn several things which not only develops range of
opportunities in their professional life but at the same it also improves the personal life of the
same person (Cakrawardani and Alimudin, 2020). The present report is the reflective writing
practice done by the individual in order to express his/her own experience associated with
unpreparedness placement experience of his arrival by the department. The reflection would also
include that the effect of COVID 19 has placed influence over the training of the student as the
nurse.
MAIN BODY
As being a scholar of the college I got placed in the well known health care institution where
I would going to be practising for sometime as the student nurse and develop my learning as the
nursing practitioner in the same field. All of the sudden, COVID-19 has started which have
affected almost each and every sector. The major influence of this pandemic disease have been
seen on heath care as the disease is completely new for all whose recovery drug has not been
determined yet (Elsayed, 2019). This has directly placed my learning experience too. This is so
because, the respective department in which I was got placed does not to prepare themselves the
same scenario. This have directly affected their overall pattern of training student nurses as the
full focus of the department was now to emphasise on identifying the drug that could contribute a
bit in tackling the disease.
In order to express my own experience related to unpreparedness placement experience
of my arrival by the department and effect of the COVID 19 into my training as a student nurse,
I have made use of Gibbs reflective cycle. The respective framework is acknowledged as the best
one as it includes several stages which one by one express overall experience as well as journey
of the person in the particular situation or event. Gibbs reflective framework was given by sir
Graham Gibbs in the year 1988. It has been initially been expressed in the book named as
“learning by doing” (Zajiji, 2018). According to the Gibbs, individual do learns several things
from the experiences and situation by which they goes through. Also, the author have expressed
that every situation does not includes positive experience but at the same time they includes

negative experiences too. It has been further stated that each and every positive as well as
negative experience helps individuals in learning and developing them constantly that ultimately
maximises their learning experiences in an appropriate manner.
With motive of expressing my personal experience related to the unpreparedness
placement experience of my arrival by the department and effect of the COVID 19 into my
training as a student nurse, I am making use of Gibbs reflective cycle for expressing it more
clearly. All the stages of this framework are specified as below in detailed manner:
Step 1: Description
This is the first and foremost stage of the Gibbs reflective framework which provides
detailed description on the core situation ( Meintjes and Hofmeyr, 2018). As per my own
experience, it can be said that because of the effective academic performance I got placed in the
well known college of medical where I would be practising as the student nurse. The overall
situation was normal as I got chance of learning in my preferable zone. Sudden occurrence of the
COVID 19 has directly influenced the functioning of the department where I would have been
getting trained as the student. It can be said that the respective department was not at all prepared
for my arrival as their concern was utmost towards the pandemic disease COVID 19 which was
new for all and they were focusing on keeping themselves as well as their institution away from
this disease as it cannot be cured because medicines as well as treatment for the same was yet not
available. The overall result of the situation was that I did not receive appropriate training at the
department where I was placed. This was so because, situation were highly uncertain which have
made all the things complicated for me as well as the respective department. But, by evaluating
overall concern related to the same it can be said that I learned a lot of things with this
experience which have maximised my spontaneous behaviour and developed range of
opportunity for me in the near future.
Step 2: Feelings
This is the second stage of the Gibbs reflective model which focuses on the actual feeling
of the individual in that particulars situation (Tito Pinto and Soto Cruz, 2018). In context of my
own experience related to influence of COVID 19 on the training as the student nurse, it can be
said that in the initial time I was very much happy as I feel that i am special one who got
opportunity to get selected for the particular department where I can obtained several skills that
would ultimately enhance my learning and future development zone. But, when I actually

reached to the department I realised that the respective department unprepared to provide me
training as they were highly emphasizing on dealing with the COVID 19 and finding best
possible way through which they can keep themselves safe and also treat their patients in best
possible manner. I have also observed that with the passing period of time patients with the
symptoms of the COVID 19 were increasing in the health care institution thus, the superiors who
were about to provide me training got busy in treating with the patient (Spooner, 2018). By
observing all this, I initially got disappointed as things were not going in the same way as per my
expectations but still with the passing course of time I realised that it was the demand of the
situation thus the department was not at all responsible for the ineffective training. At the same
time, new feeling of learning has developed with the same situation as instead of getting
theoretical training I got opportunity to gain experience of practical scenario as I was providing
treatment to new person at the same time. This has developed my learning in an appropriate
manner. Also, while emphasising on the feelings of others it can be said my mentors were feeling
guilty that they were not able to provide training on the same as I was there for learning new
things from them.
Step 3: Evaluation
This is the third stage of the reflective cycle which clearly justifies the evaluation of the
overall experience related to the particular situation. This stage mainly explores both the positive
as well as negative experience related to the same situation from which an individual goes
through during that particular time (Leonard, 2018). In context of my personal experience related
to the same, it can be said that overall experience was consisting both the positive as well as
negative situation. The core positive experience related to the same was that I got opportunity to
develop myself and learn lots of new things especially how to deal with the patients and
convince them to get opened about themselves and share their core experiences with them in
appropriate manner so that they can get the appropriate treatment related to the same effectively.
In addition to this, it has been later seen that another positive experience related to the same was
that even though my superiors were extremely busy due to pandemic of COVID 19 but still they
took on the spot action of indulging me into the practical training. This have directly developed
huge confidence level in me and also contributed in maximising the working capability in an
effective manner (Slavova and Karanasios, 2018). On the other hand, while talking about the
negative experience related to the same was that there were few seniors available at the same

premises who were taking my assistance as well as s8uggestions seriously as according to them I
am completely new thus it won’t be possible for me to provide support to the medical staff while
they were dealing with them. Also, some of the seniors also believe theoretical training is most
important as without this I cannot indulge into the practical application of the nursing work. But,
at the same period of time few of my seniors who were in my favour have convinced the other
opposing people about my working by simply informing that I am highly adaptive and could
easily perform the similar kind of work with few basic instructions. This has directly boosted up
confidence in me to perform the work in rightful manner.
Step 4: Conclusions
After completion of evaluation stage the next stage, the next stage of this reflective cycle
is conclusion. This stage simply looks after the things or initiatives by which the same
experience can be seen in most positive manner (Du Preez, 2019). With reference to my own
experiences it can be said that the overall experience gained by me was positive but still it could
have been more appropriate in my superiors would have examined the situation of COVID 19
and arranged few session for the student nurse like me so that we would have more effectively in
the practical session and could also serve patients as well as healthcare premises in more better
manner (Štrukelj and et. al., 2019). If in case, I would get stuck into this kind of situation in the
near future then I would definitely emphasise on having a detailed conversation with my
superiors so that I could easily developed my knowledge over the same and take meaningful
advice from them so that appropriate action towards the same can be taken accordingly. Apart
from this, it can be said that the overall experience of mine towards the same have developed
several skills in me which includes strong communication skills, instant decision making, critical
thinking, team working, time management, convincing skills and many others. All of these
developed skills would not only support me handling the situation and professional but at the
same time these developed skills would also improvise my personal skills too.
Step 5: Action
This is the last stage of the reflective cycle which simply emphasizes on the future
actions that are required to be taken so that if any similar sort of situation occurs in the near
future then it would have been handled in more appropriate manner (Stout-Rostron, 2018). Here,
according to my experience, it can be said that healthcare institution must have focus on

providing training to the student nurse so that they can easily develop them according to the
situation and take meaningful measure towards it in an appropriate manner.
CONCLUSION
On the basis of this project, it can be said that every experience of the individual makes
them learn lots of things. Some among them provides contribution in the growth as well as
learning which ultimately brought success to them. It has been later determined that practising
reflection in the group directly helps individual as well as the group members to develop their
understanding on what they have learnt with their experience and what they must have done for
improvising their learning session in most appropriate manner.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Cakrawardani, D. and Alimudin, A., 2020. PENGAMBILAN KEPUTUSAN DAN
KEPEMIMPINAN DALAM KEPERAWATAN MEDIS.
Elsayed, M.S., 2019. REFLECTIVE practices of educators in a masters' program in Egypt: a
case study.
Zajiji, Z., 2018. The effectiveness of a Critical Mass of female board members to expose and
resolve invisible dynamics in the boardroom (Doctoral dissertation, University of
Pretoria).
Meintjes, A. and Hofmeyr, K., 2018. The impact of resilience and perceived organisational
support on employee engagement in a competitive sales environment. SA Journal of
Human Resource Management, 16(1), pp.1-11.
Tito Pinto, B.D. and Soto Cruz, F.T., 2018. Design and implementation of a remedial english
course addressed to the students of the tourism department at Mayor de San Andres
University (Doctoral dissertation).
Leonard, M., 2018. Energy Storage Requirements of a Transition to Renewable Energy.
Slavova, M. and Karanasios, S., 2018. When Institutional Logics Meet Information and
Communication Technologies: Examining Hybrid Information Practices in Ghana’s
Agriculture. Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 19(9), p.4.
Du Preez, K.K., 2019. The experience of career transition from specialist academic to manager
in the tertiary education sector (Doctoral dissertation, University of Pretoria).
Štrukelj, T., Zlatanović, D., Nikolić, J. and Zabukovšek, S.S., 2019. A cyber-systemic learning
action approach towards selected students’ competencies development. Kybernetes.
Stout-Rostron, S., 2018. Business coaching international: Transforming individuals and
organizations. Routledge.
Spooner, V.S., 2018. Exploring nonformal adult learning in a business school leadership
programme: a case study of the nexus programme (Doctoral dissertation).