reflection barriers in nursing

It is important to use reflection in nursing despite barriers that could hinder reflection use in the nursing field. In this assignment, three barriers that may face nurses when using reflection professionally will be presented as well as three suggested solutions for such barriers. There will be a definition for reflection, a discussion for reflection value in nursing will be made in addition to presenting reflection methods.

Nursing profession is a field of practice that includes various care experiences. Reflection in action can be defined as rethinking of a current situation and makes changes to find solutions for this problem while reflection on action is a process of thinking of the used practices after an event is finished and choose the best changes for future use. (Scott, 2007) In nursing, reflection is of great value for professional life. According to (Caballero et al, 2012) reflection is vital for nursing practice due to reasons such as helping nurses recognize and concentrate on the sides of behavioral acts, information, skills and experiences needed for promoting their clinical care practices to provide the best practice. A nurse who knows reflection can learn about her personal weaknesses and strong sides in order to promote future practices  and it provides nurses with self confidence when dealing with others within the care environment and achieve better communication. It provides the opportunity for self assessment that strengthens the lifelong learning techniques. Reflection can raise a sense of competition among nurses via giving them the chance for learning from each other, having a good level of clinical awareness and face challenges. (Elder et al, 2009)

Reflection has many models including specific principles which differ in each model according to details only. Among those models are Gibbs' Reflective Cycle (1988)as he has set his cycle of reflection to be a reference for care practitioners to follow its six steps that starts with event describing and at last a plan for amendments to improve future practice. In 1993, a framework for reflection was presented by Atkins and Murphy with more details than the one Gibbs presented with its main used skills during reflection. (Brooker and Waugh, 2013)

According to (Boud and Walker, 1993) there are barriers to reflection use in nursing which could be external or internal. Internal barriers include personal barriers and emotional ones, external barriers include environmental barriers. Personal barriers nurses face come from the practitioner insider such as past passive experiences, lack of self preparation for the practice situation or not realizing one's real abilities, weakness or strengths. Emotional barriers include having a low emotional response with the nursing practice, not appreciated by others, exaggeration in sympathy feelings or suffering a low emotional level towards specific nursing practices. External barriers include being in a stressful environment, cultural diversity of the people in the nursing situation such as different languages or accents, lack of communication skills among people in the care environment or lack of good supervision for the practitioner during clinical practices. Such barriers could be overcome by the practitioner's good command of many points, barriers can be overcome by oneself, by a facilitator's aid or by a group help. To face barriers by oneself, a nurse must confess them at first, identify them and study them for deep understanding then to test a personal way to deal with them directly. A practitioner can face barriers to reflection by the accurate monitoring for the group in which he or she is engaged, avoid others' errors, enjoy the motivation in the group and ask for support when needed. A trustful facilitator can be asked for proper help in facing the barriers to reflection in nursing practice.( Newton,1997)

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is important to focus on the great importance for reflection in nursing as it provides a good background of skills and experiences for nursing practitioners through discussing and studying the nursing situations whether those past ones or the current in which a practitioner is involved in and reflection can help a nurse provide patients with the best clinical care.

References

• Scott, Ian, Ely, Christine. 2007. Essential Study Skills for Nursing. Elsevier Limited.
• Caballero, Catherine, Creed, Fiona , Gochmanski,  Clare, Lovegrove, Jane. 2012. Nursing OSCEs: A Complete Guide to Exam Succes. Oxford University Press.
• Elder, Ruth, Evans, Katie, Nizette, Debra. 2009. Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. Elsevier Australia
• Boud, D and Walker, D (1993) Barriers to reflection on experience. In D Boud et al. (eds) Using experience for learning. Buckingham, SRHE and Open University Press.
• Newton, Rita.  1997. Getting to grips with barriers to reflection. University College Salford
• Brooker, Chris, Waugh, Anne. 2013. Foundations of Nursing Practice: Fundamentals of Holistic Care. Elsevier Health Sciences