Reflective practice among nurses working in a teaching hospital: An action research with promising benefits for professional development

Abstract

Background/objectives: Education and professional development are becoming major issues for the nursing profession, which must adapt to new knowledge in the field of health and aging. This study aimed at developing, field-testing and evaluating the benefits of a reflective practice intervention with nurses caring for hospitalized elders. Method:Based on the Theory of Human Caring and on the Model for Structured Reflection, the study was carried out using an action research approach. Upon completing the reflective practice intervention, the nurses were invited to describe the nursing knowledge and skills that they developed, as well as their perception of reflective practice as a means of improving their professional practice. The study was conducted with 22 nurses working in a teaching hospital. The reflective practice intervention comprised eight thematic workshops each lasting 75 minutes, held at intervals of three weeks, combined with assigned readings and individual exercises. Qualitative data were collected through open-ended questionnaires and focus groups. These data were subjected to thematic content analysis.Results: Results show that nurses developed different skills required in reflective practice, including introspection, open-mindedness, communication and critical analysis. The participants recognized that the reflective practice intervention allowed them to develop empirical, ethical, esthetic, personal and emancipatory knowledge. Moreover, they perceived reflective practice intervention as a means of improving their professional practice as it encouraged breaking established care routines and fostered the integration of best practices. Conclusion:This study demonstrates the potential of a reflective practice intervention in a clinical setting as a novel professional development approach that valorizes nurses' experiences and allows the introduction of interventions based on best practice guidelines.

Middle range theory evaluation: bridging the theory-practice gap

“…Reflective practice provides a system of selfidentity achieved through self transformation learning inaction and on-action that result in professional effectiveness and efficiency (Dube & Ducharme, 2014, Gustafsson, Asp & Fagerberg, 2007, Collington & Hunt, 2006. Evidence abound in literature that reflective practice involves practitioners looking to their experiences, connecting with their feelings, and attending to selected theories in use thereby building new understandings to inform actions in the situation that is unfolding (Smith, Gray, Raymond, Catling-Paull, & Homer, 2012, Dube & Ducharme, 2014, Joyce-McCoah et al, 2013, Cirocco, 2007. Although reflective practice is very beneficial to nursing practice, it is one of the processes that must be developed with constant practice in order to develop and maintain professional competence.…”

“…Reflective practice therefore provide a source of learning for nursing students and practitioners based on their experiences that can be expressed verbally, with peers or a coach or in writing. Reflective practice is known to involve individual prerequisites such as self-awareness, critical analysis, synthesis, evaluation, commitment and description for active learning to occur (Dube & Ducharme, 2014, Joyce-McCoah, et al, 2013, Mann, Gordon & MacLeod, 2009. This organized method of learning can improve nursing students' empirical knowledge since it is backed with theories and rules.…”

Speech-language pathology Student Participation in Verbal Reflective Practice Groups: perceptions of development, value, and group condition differences.

“…Globally, as a part of the clinical education process, students and practitioners in health-related professions regularly engage in reflective practice activities. Professions such as medicine (Mamede & Schmidt, 2004), nursing (Dubé & Ducharme, 2014;Johns, 1995;Teekman, 2000), occupational therapy (Kinsella, 2001;Wainwright, Shepard, Harman & Stephens, 2010), physiotherapy (Clouder, 2000;Dunfee, Rindflesch, Driscoll, Hollman & Plack, 2008;Plack, Driscoll, Blissett, McKenna & Plack, 2005) and speech-language pathology (Hill, Davidson & Theodoros, 2012) have all used reflective practice as part of the education process for students and practitioners. Reflective practice in clinical education serves to incorporate the contextual aspects of an individual's experience, and develop reasoning skills, improved decision making and professional autonomy (Kinsella, Caty, Ng & Jenkins, 2012;McVey & Jones, 2012;Wainwright et al, 2010;McAllister & Lincoln, 2004;Wong, Kember, Chung, & Yan, 1995).…”