Reflective Essay

Reflective Essay

Reflection in a workplace

First

Reflective strategies are used to enhance professional observation of the work experience with others. Reflective strategy is a necessary skill that enhances the Clinical supervision. Reflection is a process of generating meaning from understanding experiences through determined consideration that directs the coming action steps through decision-making (Jasper, 2003, p. 287). As health professionals become increasingly focused on how to describe and measure of continuing professional development, reflection on the individual needs (Rolfe, 1994, p. 972). About the skills, knowledge, attitudes and personal values will increase. If we find ourselves in a difficult or challenging situation, we often take the time to 'reflect' the spirit of what went wrong, what we can do or say different in future (Johns, 1996, p. 1135). Similarly, we can reflect how well, and why. We can discuss events with friends or family. We may or may not deal with different similar challenges when they happen again. Reflective strategy is also known as personal reflection in our daily life (Burns, 1994, p. 223).

Assessment is the cycle of collection, organization, summarization and interpretation of information in order to make decisions or improve the existing system (Schön, 1983, p. 413). Through reflective strategies, we can understand the thinking, self-reflection, and introspection of ourselves. Self-reflection will help nurses to understand the actual practice of the industry and to help them evaluate their own practice and performance. Nurses need to study these experiences and by doing so, they may obtain the required ability to teach others (Garcia et al, 2007, p. 26-30). Assessing practice through reflection can bring benefits. The challenge is to recognize and capitalize on these advantages, together with the knowledge they generate. Maintaining the subjectivity of the reflective journal or diary, the nurses can enhance their clinical experiences (Rolfe et al, 2001, p. 333).

There are many reasons of using reflective strategies. It helps in identifying gaps in knowledge, skills and learning needs. Through these strategies, we can analyse complex and challenging situations, through which we learn how to deal with such situations when they occur in future. Reflective strategies also help in analysing communication and relationships with colleagues. Reflective strategies examines the approach we make decisions, through which we can identify the errors made during decision making and can avoid them in future decision making .

The most effective individual strategy is writing reflective diary or journal. Reflective Journal or reflective diary is one of the effective strategies of reflective techniques (Heath, 1998, p. 592-598). Like other strategies such as mentoring, clinical supervision, appraisals, handover, meetings, group supervision etc reflective diary also evaluates the skills and enhances learning. I generally use clinical supervision but I also want to write reflective diary also. Reflective diary is something personal and personal evaluation can be more effective if it is done truthfully and unbiased. I would use it to write things after my working shifts, and some interesting experience. By writing reflective diary, I would be able to answer these basic three ...