Reflective Practice

Reflective practice is an essential skill for those working in health and social care, but why is it so vital and how can it be learned? As inter-disciplinary working becomes more common, finding shared ways of reflection on practice are becoming more and more important. How do we share our ideas and thoughts to enrich both professionals and their client base? This book uses stories and exercises to enable readers to develop their skills. Its emphasis is on the practical, from how to construct a reflective essay to the ethical ambiguities of whistleblowing and constructing a professional persona. The book is written with the needs of students of health and social care in mind. For those who want to develop their skills beyond the scope of the book, each chapter ends by with a step-up suggestion enabling them to build on what they have already learned.

Figures vi Tables vii Boxes vii Acknowledgements viii Introduction ix 1. Reflection in context: what this book is all about 1 2. The context of reflective practice: choosing an approach that works for you 20 3. The Reflective Timeline 45 4. Writing reflection for assessment: the individual voice 66 5. Reflecting together: the collective voice 87 6. Expressing reflection in other ways 107 7. Reflective practice is ethical practice 126 8. Asking difficult questions – exploring reflection in challenging situations 146 9. Is reflection always a good thing? Arguments and evidence 162 10. Conclusion: embedding reflection – looking forward 177 References 182 Index 189