Reflection on Essential Skills for Higher Education and Healthcare

This report is a reflection on the essential skills required for healthcare practitioners, focusing on the author's experience as an operating department practitioner within the NHS. The report utilizes the Driscoll model (What? So What? Now What?) to analyze the author's learning and development. The author discusses their experiences in healthcare, including administrative tasks, communication with patients, and the importance of practical skills. A SWOT analysis is conducted to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, followed by an action plan for improvement. The reflection highlights the importance of higher education, learning styles, and the need for continuous professional development in the healthcare field, particularly in response to challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic. The report concludes with an emphasis on the need for good communication, ethical practice, and adherence to professional guidelines for career advancement. The document is a valuable resource for students studying healthcare and those seeking to improve their understanding of the healthcare profession.

Essential Skills for
Higher Education and
Healthcare

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY ..................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCE...................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Skills can be explained as ability and experience of an individual which encourage the
people to participate in each work and manage the activities. Expertise and talent needed
capabilities for the purpose of doing particular task or job. The main purpose of essay is
reflection of my role as healthcare practitioner in operation department (Thuy, 2016). This can
help to manage the each task and problem which are pertaining while performing jobs. This
report is about maintaining skills in health care industry that name is NHS, helps to provide to
better quality of treatment to patients. The reflection will be structured in three category as what,
so what, and now what by considering driscoll model that states the experience as operating
department practitioner.
MAIN BODY
Learning is ability which use by person to improve skills, productivity, augment focus
and developing academic skills which develop the performance in specific area. This is the
process of acquiring new understanding and knowledge, behaviour skills, attitudes, and
preference that supports to manage the task and activities. Skills is essential for any individual in
every field as it supports to understand the task and develop abilities to perform their roles and
responsibilities effectively (Kishore, Anand and Kumari, 2017). A person should have learning
ability to perform an action with descried results and good execution in specified time, energy,
and period. In relation to health care industry there is need to have good practician, and treatment
skills which can help to provide the good results by managing all task effectively. Learning at
higher education is important thing for individual as it develop the understanding how to manage
each task (Smith and et.al., 2019).
First stage: What?
While studying I completed the course in health care where I analysed my skills and
abilities in this sector. Learning and practising is main activity in my life that made me eager to
build the good career in healthcare sector. In starting, I was working in NHS organisation as a
medical operation assistant where I completes administrative task in doctor's office. In the field
of health care industry medical and operational skills are highly important for any individual as it
develop the understand what needs to do and how to handle the problems of patients. While
working I met with number of people who were also working in such organisation where number
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of patients comes to get proper treatment. The employee who worked at workplace or in health
care practitioner shared their knowledge and skills in field of health care where I learnt that how
to communicate with patients and bring them operation department theatre. In NHS, various
operation rooms were available where doctors teaches to students how to do manage all
activities. I also visited the health care practitioner rooms which is a part of hospital with
providing physical facilities, medical and other staffs with regular schedule hours. This provides
care for patients who are not registered as inpatients. In doing the under graduation courses in
biology and pharmacy, I was very exited to registering a student of health care practitioner
(About NHS constitution, 2020). While getting classes I analysed that it is precious subject in
healthcare sector that will help to develop my career, job opportunities and remuneration. Before
starting I conduct courses I conducted research regarding future scope and abilities that could
help me to become a good health care practitioner practitioner. As I done my Bachelor of
Pharmacy from Bangalore where education system as well as culture was different from UK.
But, with the help of my colleague it became possible for me to be a good practitioner (Role and
responsibilities of health care practitioner, 2021).
2. Stage: So What?
This is the second stage of driscoll model where I enjoyed my role and responsibilities as
a health care practitioner very well. In this, I analysed my learning styles that impacted
positively on my career. Herein, I come to know that higher education is most needed in
pharmacy and health care practitioner in relation to health care industry as I did practices in
NHS and managed the all roles efficiently. I understand that operating department practitioner is
needed part in OT as it supports to provide the better quality of health care services to patients
and others who comes along with. To become a health care practitioner I met with proficiency
standard in health practices that developed the skills in providing safety and effectively services
(Effects of NHS Constitution, 2020). I was able to practise with legal and ethical boundaries,
maintaining fitness to practise, and working appropriately with others that developed the
understanding in managing workings and developing the working experience. While working in
NHS I enhanced my knowledge that this organization belong to improving health and well being
that supported me to keep people physically and mentally good. The principle which are
following by NHS is providing comprehensive services, all services based on clinical need, not
focuses on paying capability of individual, following highest standard of professionalism, works
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across industry boundaries and providing best value for tax payer's money. This was gratitude for
me that I got the opportunity of doing work here and providing good services to patients. During
the practices I conduct the SWOT analysis where I come to know my strength, weakness,
opportunities as well as threats that needs to be turn in to strength by improving. My strength are
honest and dedicated person who understand the roles clearly. I had previous health education
and experience as I worked in other hospital before joining NHS. I am proactive person that
helped to develop to build good career and also have admirable skills that supported me to take
the challenges and managing each work. Weakness and threats which I had lack of
communication[on skills, learning styles, occurrence of Pandemic and financial circumstances
that needs to be solve by taking proper classes and practising in specified field. The opportunities
which I grab qualified and experience in healthcare academics, library, and IT services. These
opportunities is helpful for me as it developed the skills and abilities to overcome the threat and
maintain good performance. Therefore, in this stage I enjoyed a role and learning style in health
care practitioner that supported to build the good future (Standard of Proficiency health care
practitioner, 2021).
3rd Stage: Now what?
As I conducted the SWOT analysis to know own strength and weakness I brought the
some changes that helped to improve the skills and abilities in which I was weak. I prepared the
questionnaire by following the Honey and Mumford learning style. After preparing questions
and started to get feedback from patients and colleges that helped me to know that how I am and
what changes needs to be a successful Operation department practitioner. I found that I need to
have good listening and communication skills where I can communicate with people effectively
and provide them proper respond. As I got positive feedback from large sample size that make
prove that I could be good health care practitioner. I also analysed that I get fear from sudden
situation as Pandemic occurred where I felt nervous or health consciousness regarding health.
For handling this problem I should have proper equipments and protection material which can
help to provide safety and good health to all. I need to follow HCPC guideline that is
professional governing body, set up code of ethics and proficiency standard for health care
practitioner. This area have developed my knowledge and skills which is required to provide the
good health and operational administration services to patients. I developed my skills and
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abilities after working in NHS and followed the regulation of health care that provide me future
employability opportunities in health care industry.
Thus, by using the driscoll model I shared my working experience in healthcare sector
that developed my weak skills in to strength and provide me good opportunities to build the
career (Jones and Phillips, 2016).
CONCLUSION
From the above discussion it can be concluded that, healthcare is an industry where
people visits to share their health related problems and get proper treatment. A person should
have different skills and characteristics which can help to develop the job opportunities in
dynamic environment. Reflection is the process of bring change by sharing own experience in
particular field and improve the employability abilities. The students are doing their higher
studies in health care practitioner that makes them successful practitioner in such field. While
working I found that my communication skills was weak that I improved by sharing ideas and
taking participation in meetings. There is need to have good skills and characteristics which
motivate to provide the better quality of services. NHS is national service providing organization
that funded through national taxation and managing all functions.
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REFERENCE
Books and Journal
Jones, B. and Phillips, F., 2016. Social work and interprofessional education in health care: A
call for continued leadership. Journal of Social Work Education. 52(1). pp.18-29.
Kishore, J., Anand, T. and Kumari, S., 2017. Essential Skills in Postgraduate Medical
Curriculum of Community Medicine. Annals of the National Academy of Medical
Sciences (India). 53(1). pp.21-29.
Thuy, P. N., 2016. Customer participation to co-create value in human transformative
services: a study of higher education and health care services. Service business. 10(3). pp.603-
628.
About NHS constitution. 2020. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-nhs-constitution-for-england/the-
nhs-constitution-for-england#introduction-to-the-nhs-constitution>
Effects of NHS Constitution. 2020. [Online]. Available through:
<https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/
attachment_data/file/440171/2904073_Report_on_the_NHS_Accessible_v0.1.pdf>
Standard of Proficiency health care practitioner. 2021. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.hcpc-uk.org/resources/standards/standards-of-proficiency-operating-
department-practitioners/>
Role and responsibilities of health care practitioner. 2021. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.hcpc-uk.org/standards/standards-of-proficiency/operating-department-
practitioners/>
SWOT Analysis
SWOT analysis to know own strength and weakness I brought the some changes that
helped to improve the skills and abilities in which I was weak. I prepared the questionnaire by
following the Honey and Mumford learning style. After preparing questions and started to get
feedback from patients and colleges that helped me to know that how I am and what changes
needs to be a successful Operation department practitioner. I found that I need to have good
listening and communication skills where I can communicate with people effectively and provide
them proper respond. As I got positive feedback from large sample size that make prove that I
could be good health care practitioner. I also analysed that I get fear from sudden situation as
Pandemic occurred where I felt nervous or health consciousness regarding health. For handling
this problem I should have proper equipments and protection material which can help to provide
safety and good health to all. I need to follow HCPC guideline that is professional governing
body, set up code of ethics and proficiency standard for health care practitioner. This area have
developed my knowledge and skills which is required to provide the good health and operational
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administration services to patients. I developed my skills and abilities after working in NHS and
followed the regulation of health care that provide me future employability opportunities in
health care industry.
Action Plan
STP
This is an approach followed up by managers and leaders of the firm in order to manage
various operational activities of the firm by dividing large customer audience of the firm by
dividing them into various segments on basis of various factors such as demographical, income
group, geographical and many more. After this various effective strategies are being built for
ensuring better working of the operational firm. In regards to selected firm, managers and leaders
of respective firm takes help of this concept in order to bring in efficiency of production
activities of the business firm. This concept is based in various factors which are mentioned
below:
Segmentation: It includes dividing various customers of the business into various
segments on the basis of various factors such as demographical, income group, geographical and
many more. It helps in effective working of the business firm and avoids wastage of valuable
resources of the business firm.
Targeting: In this next step of STP, managers of respective business firm, targets various
segmented groups being formed in the previous stage. This stage is an inclusion of various plans
and strategies being build in order to attract interest of customers for purchasing respective
product or service of the company.
Positioning: This is related to analysing current position in the market related to a
particular product or service. In the aspect of above company needs to be done by proper
evaluation of current strategies.
Financial Analysis
Element Cost
Promotion cost 4500
Man power cost 5500
Marketing cost 5000
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Total 15000
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