Reflective analysis of a specific interaction you have had with a patient/client

Published by James Taylor

Assignment

50% of module coursework
Written assignment – 1500 words

The word count includes all references within the body of the text. Diagrams, reference list and appendices are not included in the word count. Any words over the 1500 word maximum will not be assessed.

You must provide a reflective analysis of a specific interaction you have had with a patient/client, incorporating learning about therapeutic relationships and (if relevant to the situation) behaviour that challenges.

The aim of this assignment is to achieve module learning outcomes 1 to 5 (as indicated below):

Critically analyse the process of engaging with and forming respectful and trusting relationships with service users and their carers/ families, being sensitive to their physical, intellectual, developmental, emotional, social and functional status;

Through self-assessment, recognise own health beliefs, values and ethics and explore aspects of knowing and using the self in a nursing context, including: self-awareness, emotional intelligence and stress management;

Critically discuss effective, evidence-informed ways of assessing and responding to the mental and physical health needs of people, using skills of observation, listening with empathy, and interpreting, valuing, accepting and responding to service users’ communications;

Explain and justify the holistic care approach including physical, social, cultural, psychological, spiritual, genetic and environmental elements in the development of a responsive plan of care;

Examine professional, legal and ethical concepts that inform professional practice and partnership working;

You are required to provide a reasoned argument which demonstrates an appropriate depth and breadth of knowledge of the topic area. The relevant (Level 7) assessment criteria grid will help you to do this (available in the Assessment Information section of the module Moodle site).

Suggested assignment structure– includes aspects of Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle (1988):

Introduction to assignment

(within main assignment)

· Provide a concise introduction to your assignment aims and objectives. Explain how you will structure your assignment and state which reflective tool you will be using. You should also introduce your 600 word descriptor of a clinical encounter and provide this as an inserted word box or an appendix.

Description – What happened? (within the 600 word descriptor of the clinical encounter)

· Provide an outline of your specific observation/experience so that the reader has a clear grasp of this, and describe any strategies that were initially used. This could be presented in the form of written dialogue or a summary of the experience.

· Do not make any judgements or try to draw any conclusions yet.

Feelings: What were your initial feelings, and how did you react? (within the 600 word descriptor of the clinical encounter)

· What were your reactions and feelings about this experience?

· Do not move on to evaluating or analysing these yet.

Initial evaluation of your experience:

(within the 600 word descriptor of the clinical encounter)

· Try and evaluate your initial thoughts and feelings in order to focus on the experience; for example, what was challenging about the incident/what went well or didn’t go so well. This is important in order to help you to identify the key issue(s)/aspects of care approaches you will reflect on in the remainder of your essay.

Critical Analysis:

What sense can you make of the experience?

(within main assignment)

· Critically analyse what was going on. You need to take account of the patient’s/client’s viewpoint, and the impact on care, and also analyse the coping strategies/approaches you used in the identified situation – consider how effective they were.

· Did you achieve a therapeutic relationship? If so, you must justify why you think you did by referring to the relevant theoretical, evidence-based literature, not just simple outcomes.

· If you don’t feel you achieved a therapeutic relationship then explore how you could have approached the situation differently.

· Make use of knowledge/ideas from outside your experience to develop and inform your critical analysis; for example, from experts, mentors, policy, research, law and ethics, clinical papers, reviews, and/or discussion papers. Consider the validity of this knowledge and evidence.

· Are any themes emerging from your analysis? How do these compare with your previous experiences? Can you challenge any assumptions now?

Conclusions:

What have you learnt from reflecting on this experience?

(within main assignment)

· This should sum up the main points from your analysis.

· What have you learnt about yourself, your self-awareness and your practice?

· What have you learnt that you would recommend for practice?

Final evaluation and action plan: Is there anything you would do differently in the future?

(within main assignment)

· What would you do if this type of situation arose again?

· What steps will you take, based on what you’ve learnt, to develop your future practice?

· How will you decide if your practice has been improved?

· It would be useful to provide some SMART goals here.

Confidentiality statement:

You must not name anyone (client/patient or member of staff) with whom you have had contact or include information (such as naming a practice area) that might lead to someone being identified.

Statement on unprofessional practice, or practice that may be putting someone at risk of harm: Nursing students are obliged always to act in accordance with The Code:Professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses and midwives (NMC, 2015). Any practice that is unprofessional or puts someone at risk of harm, witnessed during your placements, should always be discussed with your link lecturer, your mentor (if possible), or another registered nurse. Information is available in the document Raising concerns (NMC, 2015): https://www.nmc.org.uk/standards/guidance/raising-concerns-guidance-for-nurses-and-midwives/ There is also a university policy

If you plan to write your assignment on a reflection of practice that is unprofessional or puts someone at risk of harm that you have witnessed in your placement, you should discuss this with your seminar leader before you begin to write. Your seminar leader will then be able to support you, and may also need to follow up any incidents of unprofessional or possibly harmful practice with the relevant link lecturer.

The module team is obliged always to act under the NMC (2015) Code:Professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses and midwives, as well as adhere to the Raising concerns guidance(NMC, 2015)