Critical reflection
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Task_description_A3.docxAssessment 3 Task Instructions
· Task Description: Critical reflection
Value: 35%
Due Date: Friday, September 30, 2023
Relevance
This assessment task presents an opportunity for you to extend and integrate your understanding of leadership in nursing through critical reflection on the learning experiences that you have encountered during the semester. Your analysis also establishes a basis for considering professional practice implications.
Instruction
During your study of this unit, you have engaged with a wide range of learning experiences, including readings, commentary, discussion points, module reflective activities, assessment tasks, as well as practice and other experiences that relate to unit topics. These experiences serve as valuable stimuli for reflection.
It is recommended that you record your responses to these stimuli as you progress through the semester. A journal can be useful for this purpose. (Your journal is not submitted for assessment.)
For this task you are required to submit four reflective written pieces, using Gibbs cycle of reflection for each, that reflect your learning of leadership during this semester.
You must include:
-a reflection on your leadership philosophy, that you began during Module 1.
-a reflection on how your leadership practice can address the following domain within the Code of Conduct for Nurses: Practise safely, effectively and collaboratively (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia,2018)
-two reflections on other learning experiences that you have encountered during your study of this unit such as a tutorial discussion or a reading from one of the unit modules.
Your journal entries must demonstrate engagement with leadership, and there is a requirements to use the academic leadership literature to support your reflections.
Each extract must include reflective analysis that demonstrates how your thinking or assumptions have been challenged, what deeper insights you have gained, and what questions have emerged from your reflections, and how you will apply this thinking to future professional and leadership roles. It is essential that your analysis reflects engagement with the academic literature from this unit of study. Please refer to Module 6 to inform your understanding of this reflective task.
The following structure is recommended:
1.Introduction (200 words)
2.Reflective analysis (1600 words)
3.Conclusion (200 words)
4.References
Note that you will be assessed on the nature of your reflective writing, the depth of your thinking, and critical analysis (drawing from relevant academic research), of your learning experiences and knowledge as related to this unit of study. Your personal opinions and accounts of experiences are your own and will not be assessed.
Format
Word Limit: 2,000 words*
Font: Calibri 11, Times New Roman 12, Arial 10
Line spacing: Double
Referencing Style: APA 7 or latest edition
Header: Student ID (digits) no name, unit code
Footer: Total word count, page number
File format: .doc or .docx.
Criteria
Knowledge: The paper convincingly demonstrates knowledge of reflective practice and writing, and of topics studied within unit modules.
Critical Analysis: The writing demonstrates critical reflection arising from learning experiences encountered during the semester. Analysis of reflective extracts developed over the semester demonstrates a deepening spiral of learning and critical enquiry.
Argument: Relevant academic research supports the critical reflection/analysis.
Communication: The paper is articulate, ideas are presented logically and coherently. Applies rules of grammar, spelling and punctuation accurately. Accurately uses discipline-specific language.
Academic convention: APA 7th referencing conventions in both in-text referencing and reference list have been applied accurately and consistently. Use of first person is permitted.
*A word count that is outside the +/- 10% range will lead to a reduction of 10% of the total mark available for the assessment.
Learning Outcomes
This task addresses the following learning outcomes:
1. Critically reflect upon the role of the registered nurse as a leader in a health care team in varying health contexts.
2. Critically analyse concepts of management and leadership in nursing and health services.
3. Critically examine the role of the nurse leader in quality improvement and change management practices.
4. Investigate clinical risk management and the registered nurse's leadership responsibilities for quality and safety in health care.
MODULE 9: CRITICAL REFLECTION
Introduction
As healthcare professionals’ nurses need to be aware of the future innovations that are occurring and to open their mind to embracing new approaches to leadership.
Essential to the process of shaping practice in response our changing context, Registered Nurses are expected to reflect critically on their practice and to invite and explore emerging challenges. In this topic you will refresh your understanding of critical reflection. Your knowledge and understanding of this concept will be used to coalesce your learning in this unit of study, and to assist you to prepare for your final assessment.
This module addresses the following unit outcome:
1. Critically reflect upon the role of the registered nurse as a leader in a health care team in varying health contexts.
Learning outcomes:
By the end of this module you will be better able to:
· Explain the meaning of critical reflection;
· Critique two models of critical reflection with reference to critical/practice dimensions;
· Analyse reflective writing in relation to the three levels of reflection;
· Reflect critically on practice implications of unit content;
· Develop a plan for your final assessment task.
· What is critical reflection?
Sometimes we hear people say ‘I reflect all the time’. Thinking about what we are doing, pondering on the consequences and what we could be do better next time is a fairly routine behaviour that most of us engage in during the routines of daily life. However, critical reflection as a deliberate and structured act enables us in our professional practice, to gain the greatest learning potential from our experiences.
Some of the key tenets of critical reflection are structure, purpose, and enquiry (Cottrell, 2017, p. 188; Nicoll & Dosser, 2016, p. 35). Cottrell (2017, p. 188) presents a more detailed explanation of the characteristics of critical reflection:
These key characteristics of critical reflection, are common to many models of critical reflection and can be grouped under selection and description of an experience, an expression of individual responses to the experience, interpretation, analysis, planning for future practice and re analysis. A cyclical representation in most theories gives emphasis to the ongoing process of reflection on the experience, in the light of new knowledge or other experiences. A reflective ‘spiral’ of learning and understanding is perhaps a more useful analogy.
Note that
· the key to critical reflection is the use of theory and literature as 'lenses' with which to interpret the experience;
· learning from the reflective activity does not stop with development of the plan for future practice. The subject of the reflection can be explored more deeply over time and in relation to the emergence of new experiences and research etc.
Activity: Assessment 3
Your final assessment task requires you to develop a critically reflective essay. Be sure to reflect on the extent to which your written reflections address these characteristics.
The following reading explains in detail how theory can be related to the process of critical reflection.
As you view the following videos that explain three different models of reflection, you should aim to understand the cycle or spiral of reflective learning, and where in the models the experience is critically examined in relation to theory and new knowledge such as academic research. These presentations vary in terms of their emphasis on these characteristics.
The first presentation is of Gibbs reflective cycle with which you are no doubt familiar. Please review with the above characteristics in mind.
EPM (2019, May 3) Gibbs reflective cycle [Video].You Tube. https://youtu.be/-gbczr0lRf4
We now view Kolb's model that contains similar features to Gibbs. Note that the phase of 'active experimentation' foregrounds ongoing analysis of the experience.
Preceptor Education Program (2015, September 9) M5 Kolb's experiential learning cycle [Video]. You Tube. https://youtu.be/Rp-gaV-uSIo
Reflection often involves challenging our core assumptions and behaviours. This can be a daunting experience especially if it makes us question deeply held beliefs or perceive weaknesses in previous practice. In the following short video, Mezirow’s theory of transformative learning focuses our attention on this process. While it is beyond the scope of this module to explore Mezirow to any depth, it’s important to be aware of the ‘disorienting dilemmas’ that we encounter, that serve as important rigger points for reflection. These events can be quite powerful.
Jarvis, C. (2015, August 11). Introducing transformative learning theory. [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/liU1zsi3X8w
As a final recap, the following reading is recommended. You may find it useful to download the chapter, as we refer to it in later sections. The reading also includes a range of engaging activities that you may find useful.
Cottrell, S. (2017) Critical thinking skills. Chapter 12 critical reflection. pp. 188-189.
Why critically reflect?
Critical reflection enables us to use our own experiences as an essential resource for learning. It is a process that invites an openness to challenges to our assumptions, from theoretical, experiential and other sources, so that we can learn and grow in our professional work (Cottrell, 2017). Reflection takes some practice, however the depth of understanding and personal and professional growth that can emerge from critical reflection can be surprising, illuminating and transformative.
Note the purpose of the reflective task you are required to undertake in Assessment 3
"This assessment task presents an opportunity for you to extend and integrate your understanding of leadership in nursing through critical reflection on the learning experiences that you have encountered during the semester. Your analysis also establishes a basis for considering professional practice implications."
The task is both analytical and forward looking, with professional practice implications a key outcome.
1.Knowledge and reflection
In this unit, learning is presented as an active process that seeks to establish relationships between your existing understanding of communication, health informatics and technology and the new knowledge that forms the unit content. Knowledge development is a complex process, and time does not permit us to deal with that here. It’s sufficient to say that knowledge can sometimes be tacit, that is, some of our knowledge is hidden away, for example the knowledge that enables us to respond or make judgements while we are interacting with a patient, - or driving a car. Some knowledge is formed from the learning that occurs alongside formal instruction (Eraut, 2004) i.e. through studying course readings and material, preparing assignments, which can then be personalised by thinking about your work and applying it to practice. By making this ‘personalised’ knowledge explicit, we extend the operating knowledge that we have to work with moving forward, including being able to share it with others, build and deliberate on its meaning (Eraut, 2000).
Critical reflection, and writing, is one way that we can enable the transformation of tacit knowledge to explicit knowledge. It is recommended that you record your reflections throughout the semester, to aid your learning and to establish a basis for the development of Assessment 3.
2.Competency Standards
Critical reflection is also a key dimension of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (2016). National Competency Standards for the Registered Nurse (p. 3).
As you can see from Figure 1, Standard 1 ‘Thinks critically and analyses nursing practice’ as a key Standard is clarified:
“RNs use a variety of thinking strategies and the best available evidence in making decisions and providing safe quality nursing practice within person-centered and evidence- based frameworks”
Note that this standard is related to Standards 2 and 3, and is common to the remaining dimensions 4,5,6,&7. Critical practice is therefore clearly embedded in all areas of the nursing standards, and is therefore expected in the conduct of professional nursing practice.
Criterion 1.2 is more specific to reflection:
1.2 develops practice through reflection on experiences, knowledge, actions, feelings and beliefs to identify how these shape practice.
There are other reasons why critical reflection offers a valuable foundation for professional practice, as the following reading explains.
Cottrell, S. (2017) Critical thinking skills. Chapter 12 critical reflection. p. 190
Critical writing
Presentations in the previous section summarise the meaning and purpose of reflection. In the following section we will explore how to record your reflections in a manner that is useful for you, and to aid your preparation of Assessment 3.
As you are aware there are many models of reflection. Gibb's (1988) model offers the following structure:
· Describe the situation
· What were you thinking and feeling?
· Initial evaluation: What was good and bad about the situation?
· Analysis of the situation: What sense can you make of the situation?
· Conclusion what else could you have done?
· Action plan: If it happened again what would you do? (and once you have enacted your plan you can return to 'describe the situation'.
Which ever model you use, or if you choose to develop your own, I suggest that you refer to the 'characteristics of critical reflection' presented in an earlier section to ensure your choice of structure addresses these elements.
Where to record your reflections
Choose a place to record your critical reflections. You may choose a diary or journal in hard copy or an online space. Your journal can include drawings, photographs, diagrams and need not be confined to writing. The practice of writing your reflections has the following benefits:
· Writing can be therapeutic;
· Writing can help to analyse or 'unpack' the experience, even before you have engaged in the structured process a of analysis;
· By writing your reflections, you have a record that you can use for ongoing reflection on the experience, including reflection on earlier reflections, which gives insights into how your thinking has changed.
(Nicoll & Dossier, 2016)
Do you recall the 'pensive' in the Harry Potter series? In this magical story it was possible to store memories in glass bottles, for later viewing and consideration, as well as for sharing with others, through the 'pensive'. Unfortunately we are confined to the less sophisticated paper journal, but the point of reflection and analysis on experience and sharing it with others is poignant in this short extract from Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. You need only watch the first 30- 40 seconds.
Stefan Dajiba (2009, June 26) Harry Potter and the half blood prince: pensive scene. [video] YouTubehttps://youtu.be/dumUElmlVJA
Critically reflective writing
The following video presents an excellent framework for writing critically. The examples of critical writing, while drawn from outside of the nursing field, exemplify the type of analysis that needs to be reflected in your critically reflective writing, with implications for your preparation of Assessment 3.
Academic skills The University of Melbourne (June 2 2017) Reflective writing, [video] YouTube https://youtu.be/SntBj0FIApw
The following extract from Cottrell (2017) presents further examples of critically reflective writing in relation to the core phases of reflection.
Cottrell, S. (2017) Critical thinking skills. Chapter 12: Critical reflection, pp. 198-200
Bringing it all together: Using reflection to integrate your learning in NUR543
As healthcare professionals, nurses need to be aware of the future innovations that are occurring and to open their mind to embracing new approaches to care, of which leadership is a central part. Our understanding of leadership a growing field that brings many opportunities for improved patient outcomes.
In this topic, reflective activities are presented to support your integrated engagement with these knowledge areas, to provoke critical thinking, challenge of existing assumptions and to facilitate the transformation of tacit knowledge to a more explicit form that can be used for analysis and sharing (Eraut, 2004). These reflective activities present further opportunities for you to identify themes to work with in Assessment 3.
Activity 1
Return to the unit modules and reflect on or revise your responses to the unit reflective activities. Do you agree with your initial responses? Draw on the prompts in various activities to reflect on any changes.
Activity 2
Review your learning across the semester, noting that the emphasis on leadership for nurses at all levels.
Activity 3
As a simple task reflect on the knowledge you have gained in relation to the unit learning outcomes:
Learning Outcomes:
1. Critically reflect upon the role of the registered nurse as a leader in a health care team in varying health contexts.
2. Critically analyse concepts of management and leadership in nursing and health services.
3. Critically examine the role of the nurse leader in quality improvement and change management practices.
4. Investigate clinical risk management and the registered nurse's leadership responsibilities for quality and safety in health care.
Activity 4
Reflect on your learning in relation to the following prompts:
You might consider:
· What do I know now that I didn't before?
· What surprised me or worries me about the topics I studied?
· What behaviours or attitudes have I changed?
· Which topics should I take particular note of, and be sure to investigate further?
· How will I apply my new knowledge to future practice?
· What novel connections did I make between these topics and the readings that underpinned them?
Source: Adapted from Cottrell, S.(2013) The study skills hand book. Palgrave.
(Evaluating achievement, p. 386)
Activity 5
Identify the relationships between the knowledge areas covered in this subject and represent in a concept map. A concept map (see example below) connects key ideas in a meaningful way, using arrows and sometimes comments between different ideas to explain the relationships. This aids knowledge development. By reversing the arrows you can develop critical questions around the concepts represented in your map. (Generally, the process of creating the map has more value than the product, which can become unwieldy!) This is also a valuable strategy to use for further study, including mapping findings from the literature and planning essays etc. You can find free concept mapping software if you are interested. Pen, coloured pencils and paper work well too!
Chavan R.L. & Khandagale V.S. (2013) Human digestive system-conceptmap.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chavan_R_L_%26_Khandagale_V_S-Human_Digestive_System-Concept_Map.png CC4
Conclusion
By now you should have a good idea of the themes from the unit that have particular significance for you. These themes form the basis of your writing for Assessment 3. Please refer to the task detail before constructing your final paper, and see advice from the unit coordinator if you require clarification.
