Demonstrating Professional Principles and Values in Health Care

This report explores the purposes and impact of reflection in health and social care practice. It discusses the various models and tools used for reflection, including Gibbs reflective cycle, Kolb's learning cycle, John’s reflective model, and the Atkins and Murphy reflection cycle. The report highlights the application of reflective practice in healthcare and support service environments, emphasizing its role in personal and professional development. It also examines how practice themes underpin reflection, contributing to improved learning and practice within the dynamic fields of health and social care. The widespread adoption of reflection is attributed to its significant impact on identifying areas for improvement, fostering continuous learning, and promoting the development of effective strategies for healthcare professionals.

RUNNING HEAD: DEMONSTRATING PROFESSIONAL PRINCIPLES AND VALUES IN
HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE PRACTICE
DEMONSTRATING PROFESSIONAL PRINCIPLES AND VALUES IN HEALTH AND
SOCIAL CARE PRACTICE

DEMONSTRATING PROFESSIONAL PRINCIPLES AND VALUES IN HEALTH AND
SOCIAL CARE PRACTICE
TASK 1 - WRITTEN REPORT
Purposes of Reflection
Reflection is integral in health and social care. Reflection allows challenging learning and
improving practice (Gould and Taylor, 2017). Reflection provides a way for healthcare and
social workers in dealing with sensitive issues, which they might experience. The benefits of
reflecting for healthcare and social professionals is to undertake an opportunity to look at
individual steps in the caregiving process and then deciding upon an appropriate course of
action. The purpose of reflecting is drawing from past experience and instances, thereafter
designing an appropriate course of action to be undertaken. Reflection for healthcare and social
workers is often conducted by using a number of models such as Gibbs reflective cycle, Kolb's
reflection cycle, John’s reflective cycle, and Atkins and Murphy reflection cycle. In the current
course of discussion some of the models and tools that are used for reflecting on health and
social care (Reeves, Lewin, Espin and Zwarenstein, 2011). Reflective practices are applied in
health care or support service environments on a continuous process. Practice Themes are often
used in the process of reflecting so as to underpin reflection in learning and practice.
Everyone is a learner at some stage of learning and a stage in a professional career.
Learning continues whether as a student or as a professional. The most integral part of reflecting
is the learning process that allows growing and improving (Baldwin, 2016). While there are
innumerable benefits of reflecting, there are various purposes for reflecting are such as helping to
learn from mistakes. It is possible to undertake corrective actions and see whatever went wrong
by reflecting on mistakes and failures from the past. Mistakes and failures provide learning tools
and opportunities to learn and get better. Reflection provides ideas to look forward and grow.
Only when mistakes and failures are encountered, one starts the process of exploring ideas to
improvise upon them. The process of reflection allows gaining insight invaluable learning
experience that allows helping others. Only upon reflecting one might be able to highlight to
others regarding mistakes and inspire them to take corrective actions. Through reflection, it is
possible to gain a perspective. In professional lives, one becomes busy in stressful works, which
often provides limited opportunities to focus on what is important (Redmond, 2017). The process
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of reflection is overwhelming as it empowers to gain perspective regarding important factors in
professional and personal lives. Lastly, the process of reflection allows understanding oneself in
a better manner. One gets to learn regarding their strengths, weaknesses, fears and then might
end up in discovering an unexpected outcome.
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References
Baldwin, M. (2016). Social work, critical reflection and the learning organization. Routledge.
Accessed from https://books.google.co.in/books?
hl=en&lr=&id=iebeCwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=reflecting+in+health+and+socia
l+care&ots=_4DnSVe_Rz&sig=M1q0mIC-Ls9YhkkdC5lSX_4PSkg
Gould, N., & Taylor, I. (2017). Reflective learning for social work: research, theory and
practice. Routledge. Accessed from
https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781351905909
Redmond, B. (2017). Reflection in action: Developing reflective practice in health and social
services. Routledge. Accessed from
https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781351905930
Reeves, S., Lewin, S., Espin, S., & Zwarenstein, M. (2011). Interprofessional teamwork for
health and social care (Vol. 8). John Wiley & Sons. Accessed from
https://books.google.co.in/books?
hl=en&lr=&id=0uEHuFTgytIC&oi=fnd&pg=PT9&dq=reflecting+in+health+and+social
+care&ots=YTqrgILaaj&sig=PbLr5LOL9AOsvJYpTlj5B1p_u2o
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Models and Tools for Reflection
In health care and social care, there are a number of models that are used for the purpose
of reflecting. Each organization or institution has their own set of method that they suggest
undertaking for the process of reflecting (Hasson, 2010). In the current discussion, 4 models of
reflection will be discussed.
Gibbs reflective cycle initiates with a description of what happened, this includes
detailing out an incidence faced in the past. Then feelings and thinking regarding the incidence is
undertaken to understand in detail regarding an incidence (Husebø, O'Regan and Nestel, 2015).
Then using the feelings, evaluation of the good and bad regarding the experience is jotted. This
step is crucial as it includes the process of evaluation which precedes analyzing the situation. The
analysis allows making sense from the situation, implying jotting down mistakes and failures that
have been faced. A conclusion is drawn regarding what are the alternatives that could have been
undertaken. In the finishing of the cycle, an action plan for proposing what could be done is
suggested. The plan of action provides a corrective step towards overcoming the mistakes that
are faced.
Kolb’s learning cycle includes reflection as a learning process hence it is useful for
learning through the application process. It initiates with the process of concrete experience,
where thinking in depth regarding the experience is encouraged. Then a reflective observation
regarding the incidence that has taken place is undertaken (Konak, Clark and Nasereddin, 2014).
The situation is thought from varied perspectives before the abstract conceptualization. At the
abstract conceptualization stage, analysis of the experience is undertaken and more thinking
regarding the situation is encouraged. At this stage, more thinking is initiated regarding models,
theories and practices. Then the process of active experimentation to reflect upon various
approaches to the situation is evaluated. In this stage, the various outcomes are noted and then
compared against one another.
John’s model of structure reflection includes five stages with cue questions. In this
process of reflection, description of the situation is first undertaken followed by reflecting on it.
The reflection on the experience allows arriving at the influencing factors that led to the
situation. Then ways to deal with the situation in a better manner is evaluated (Johns, 2017).
Alternatives for arriving at a better outcome or ways to deal with the situation in a better way are
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devised at this stage. Then the process of learning from the entire activity comes, where one
reflects upon the analysis of what was and what could have been done in a better manner.
Atkins and Murphy reflection cycle progresses with the creation of awareness or
discomfort with particular action or experience. Once awareness regarding the situation arises, it
is detailed out to include thoughts, feelings, events, and features (Koole et al 2011). Then the
feelings and knowledge is analyzed, to identify key assumptions, challenges and to explore all
possible alternatives. Once the analysis of feelings and thoughts is undertaken, an evaluation of
relevant knowledge to resolve the problem faced is undertaken. The use of knowledge at this
stage is evaluated to identify the key learning that has occurred during the experience. This
reflective experience allows learning taking place from an experience.
Figure 1: Reflecting using Atkins and Murphy (1994)
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References
Hasson, H. (2010). Systematic evaluation of implementation fidelity of complex interventions in
health and social care. Implementation Science, 5(1), 67. Accessed from
https://implementationscience.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1748-5908-5-67
Husebø, S. E., O'Regan, S., & Nestel, D. (2015). Reflective practice and its role in
simulation. Clinical Simulation in Nursing, 11(8), 368-375. Accessed from
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876139915000389
Johns, C. (Ed.). (2017). Becoming a reflective practitioner. John Wiley & Sons. Accessed from
https://books.google.co.in/books?
hl=en&lr=&id=9tnCDgAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP2&dq=johns+reflective+cycle&ots=C
QTfpppRnf&sig=i7nAC2wyrn_sm2R9IAGLWw0NDJg
Konak, A., Clark, T. K., & Nasereddin, M. (2014). Using Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle to
improve student learning in virtual computer laboratories. Computers & Education, 72,
11-22. Accessed from
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360131513002984
Koole, S., Dornan, T., Aper, L., Scherpbier, A., Valcke, M., Cohen-Schotanus, J., & Derese, A.
(2011). Factors confounding the assessment of reflection: a critical review. BMC medical
education, 11(1), 104. Accessed from
https://bmcmededuc.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1472-6920-11-104
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Application of reflective practice in health care or support service environments
Reflective practices are applied in health care and support service environments at
various stages. The various ways in which reflective practices are applied are in personal
development (Glasby and Dickinson, 2014). As a student of health or social care, a student needs
to undertake reflective practices at several times to understand their level of knowledge gained
and learning transferred. An intern and professional need to undertake reflection in order to
understand what went wrong in their experience and then accommodating step of action to
overcome their mistakes. Reflective practices are applied at every stage and every step in health
care and social care practices such that improvement can be accommodated. The profession of
health and social care is dynamic and changing, it is different for different people. Professionals
in the two professional field need to undertake continuous learning hence reflective practices will
stand to benefit in a large number of ways (Kitson, 2009). It is applied from the end of not only
education institutions as a part of their regular learning activity, but rather it is also undertaken
by organizations as a part of their staff development procedures.
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References
Glasby, J., & Dickinson, H. (2014). Partnership working in health and social care: what is
integrated care and how can we deliver it?. Policy Press. Accessed from
https://books.google.co.in/books?
hl=en&lr=&id=_E3qAgAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR8&dq=reflecting+in+health+and+soci
al+care&ots=KTzmcP3wNP&sig=vSOP-IM-
Lk0rOx6zebskOHORQzE#v=onepage&q=reflecting%20in%20health%20and%20social
%20care&f=false
Kitson, A. L. (2009). The need for systems change: reflections on knowledge translation and
organizational change. Journal of advanced nursing, 65(1), 217-228. Accessed from
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2008.04864.x
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Impact of reflection
The widespread application of reflection in health and social care is due to the
tremendous impact that it can cause personal and professional development. As there is the
benefit of reflection on the personal and professional domain, it is widely accepted as a regular
improvement practice (Brett et al. 2014). On the domain of personal development, reflections
can provide areas where one is committing mistakes and facing failures. Highlighting these areas
will allow overcoming these challenges and accommodating strategies to overcome the mistakes.
It will also allow not repeating the mistakes again and redesigning on a new strategy to work
with. It provides plentiful opportunities to learn. Through reflection one is able to understand
personal strengths and weaknesses; this allows developing a plan to overcome the weaknesses by
focusing on the strengths. In professional development, it allows continuing with the process of
learning. A professional easily gets detached from learning of theories, models and knowledge
development, through reflective practices one is able to remain in-touch with learning practices.
Professionally one will be able to undertake areas in which one has committed mistakes and then
take corrective actions from the process of learning. Professional development is possible
through the process of reflecting by identifying gaps in the processes present.
Impact of reflections from the experience of individuals, who are using health care or
social services is also tremendous (Care Quality Commission, 2012). These individuals possess
detailed insights into the working of health and social care services and thus their reflection can
act as a guiding principle towards the enhancement of personal or professional developments.
Reflections from individuals undertaking such services need to be sought such that one can
easily learn the mistakes committed or failures faced.
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References
Brett, J., Staniszewska, S., Mockford, C., Herron‐Marx, S., Hughes, J., Tysall, C., & Suleman, R.
(2014). Mapping the impact of patient and public involvement on health and social care
research: a systematic review. Health Expectations, 17(5), 637-650. Accessed from
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1369-7625.2012.00795.x
Care Quality Commission. (2012). The state of health care and adult social care in England in
2011/12 (Vol. 763). The Stationery Office. Accessed from
https://books.google.co.in/books?
hl=en&lr=&id=8sZy29BdU1MC&oi=fnd&pg=PA5&dq=reflecting+in+health+and+soci
al+care&ots=477OJY0Xsk&sig=k7RUQR5XxzWYGnmwj1K4Bj8RGjM#v=onepage&q
=reflecting%20in%20health%20and%20social%20care&f=false
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Practice Themes in Reflection Learning
Practice themes can underpin reflection in learning and practice. Practice themes provide
a difference to the quality of care and include multiple dimensions of care (Taylor and Cranton,
2012). Some of the key practice themes include patient focus, information focus, quality
improvement, staff focus, and leadership. Practice themes can enable reflection learning, patient
focus theme allows ways in which services are based upon patient needs. The theme allows
professionals to reflect a focus on the basis of patient needs and demands. It allows development
of a patient-centric reflective point of view. Information focus allows accommodation and use of
information for reflective practice. Information focus allows gathering information that is critical
for a situation. Quality improvement includes standards that are reviewed and attained (Pedler,
2011). Reflective practices in this domain allow focusing on quality improvements in health and
social care. Staff focus themes allow the reflective process to be focused on staffs being
developed. Leadership themes allow developing a reflective practice to be focused on
improvement efforts to be planned.
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References
Pedler, M. (Ed.). (2011). Action learning in practice. Gower Publishing, Ltd. Accessed from
https://books.google.co.in/books?
hl=en&lr=&id=MWoaI9JHBeIC&oi=fnd&pg=PR11&dq=Practice+Themes+in+Reflecti
on+Learning+&ots=sf4to-vN4l&sig=dUBZM58ld_U5-CP1Rv0-fAQbJUY
Taylor, E. W., & Cranton, P. (2012). The handbook of transformative learning: Theory,
research, and practice. John Wiley & Sons. Accessed from
https://books.google.co.in/books?
hl=en&lr=&id=AyT2UTqOPBYC&oi=fnd&pg=PT8&dq=Practice+Themes+in+Reflecti
on+Learning+&ots=oNu9wIHOFg&sig=Y7Cc34-
_tLP64Wn2bsEaDLcFIo4#v=onepage&q=Practice%20Themes%20in%20Reflection
%20Learning&f=false
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Practice Themes Links with other Performance Indicators
The five different practice themes can be linked with other performance indicators. The
patient focus theme allows achieving patient-related outcomes performance indicators (Hanna,
David, and Francisco, 2010). Information focus theme allows adopting ways in a professional
effectively makes use of information. It can be seen connected to decision making performance
indicators. Quality improvement allows focusing on high quality or improvisation in such quality
to be achieved. Staff focus theme allows adopting performance indicators of staff performance,
output, attendance and other performance indicators (Currie & Lockett, 2011). Leadership theme
is linked to team performance indicators, team communication, and team cohesion performance
indicators.
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References
Currie, G., & Lockett, A. (2011). Distributing leadership in health and social care: concertive,
conjoint or collective?. International Journal of Management Reviews, 13(3), 286-300.
Accessed from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1468-
2370.2011.00308.x
Hanna, D., David, I., & Francisco, B. (Eds.). (2010). Educational research and innovation the
nature of learning using research to inspire practice: Using research to inspire practice.
OECD publishing. Accessed from https://books.google.co.in/books?
hl=en&lr=&id=306PApBeLTwC&oi=fnd&pg=PA3&dq=Practice+Themes+in+Reflectio
n+Learning+&ots=-
JBhHJNBlJ&sig=K7FmRWkiK9RGvEFTrtLPwkTSM5I#v=onepage&q=Practice
%20Themes%20in%20Reflection%20Learning&f=false
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Methods of Evident Reflective Practice
Reflective practices are critical in health and social care roles. Developing an appropriate
and continuous process by setting up reflective practices will help to bring about improvement in
professional as well as personal life (Cameron, Lart, Bostock and Coomber, 2014). However,
while reflecting there are many elements that need to be considered such as evaluating time
frame for reflection, neglecting on any area of reflection or sensing different caregiving
situations. Reflective practices need to be flexible and sensitive in nature such that it can impact
work and improve services that are being provided. In order to gain evidence of effective
reflective practice in own area of work practice, the situation needs to be evaluated. An effective
reflective practice is one which includes an appropriate description of the situation with the
evaluation of relevant theories, models and knowledge in evaluating the case (Beech, McGill,
and Brockbank, 2017). The case analysis needs to progress by means of appropriate techniques
such that mistakes and any faults in the situation can be understood. An analytical technique
allows arriving at a conclusion and then taking corrective actions for removing the issue or
challenge faced in the situation. As in case of providing health care to an individual with pain,
most professional would provide the medication that has been prescribed. Analysis of the
situation in detail might reveal that the patient required attention were speaking to him would
relieve his ailment. This could be understood in case an alternate situation is developed and then
applied to arrive at the situation again. Therefore, the patient would be successfully treated as the
professional would counsel him regarding his pain and also provide him with the medication. In
absence of reflective practice, similar treatment would follow for all patients.
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References
Beech, N., McGill, I., & Brockbank, A. (2017). Reflective learning in practice. In Reflective
learning in practice (pp. 30-40). Routledge. Accessed from
https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9781317069553/chapters/10.4324%2F978131560
4268-12
Cameron, A., Lart, R., Bostock, L., & Coomber, C. (2014). Factors that promote and hinder joint
and integrated working between health and social care services: a review of research
literature. Health & social care in the community, 22(3), 225-233. Accessed from
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/hsc.12057
Learner declaration
I certify that the work submitted for this assignment is my own and research sources are fully
acknowledged.
Student signature: Date:
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