To most nursing students, writing a reflective nursing essay tends to be a difficult and complex job. The good news is that you do not have to stress or worry about writing this type of essay since the information below is aimed at making things easier for you on how to write a good nursing reflective essay.
Let’s start by defining what we mean by reflective writing. In a nutshell, this kind of essay is focused on your own experiences, thoughts, and opinions. Reflective papers aid nursing students in developing their abilities and expanding their knowledge. There is no better place to learn how to write a nursing essay than here. In this post, you’ll find examples of what to include in your student nursing reflection, a reflective nursing example, and some reflection topics to get you started.
Nursing reflective essay
The following components are often included in an essay about reflective nursing practice:
Introduction
The introduction describes what the reader may anticipate and defines the overall aim of the paper. The thesis statement is considered to be the most important component of the introduction. In most cases, this is the statement that closes off the introduction. Therefore, your argument needs to be succinct and should communicate your perspective.
• A detailed explanation of the circumstances
The most important component of a reflective essay is the author’s description of the experiences that were the basis for the writing of the essay. One more time, this section needs to include just the most significant and helpful particulars.
• Discussion about one’s private emotions
This section explains how you respond to different circumstances and how you can develop control over the emotions that you feel in response to those events.
• Taking stock of one’s experiences
This section will provide a synopsis of the information and abilities you have acquired via experience.
• Introspection as well as potential educational avenues
This section is intricately linked to the one that came before it. You have been providing a recap up until this point, but now you will explain what you have learned due to this circumstance. Also, comment on the plan you have for your continued personal growth.
• Conclusion
This one is easy to understand. Just provide a summary of all the facts you covered throughout your essay.
Nursing reflective essay example
1) Course Reflection and Individual Evaluation Concerning the Nursing Role
The author carefully considered the optimum skills set to meet the present and future ambitions. Finally, one reflects on her experiences and reaches some conclusions.
2) Course Retrospective for the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Degree Program
The author engages in some introspection over the DNP program. Finally, the findings on the relevant abilities corroborate this theory.
3) Essentials for the Doctor of Nursing Practice Exam Reflection
The author thinks about DNP Essentials, the class they are currently taking. When reflecting on anything, an author often does so regarding how much it has helped them grow professionally.
4) Reflection on the Registered Nurse Training Program
Consider this as an illustration of the topic of leadership. The author enrolled in a class on reflective practice in nursing and, as a result, learned a great deal of new information.
Reflective essay nursing
When you write a reflective essay, you are asked to present your opinions based on your prior experiences, knowledge, beliefs, and reflections. An amazing and personal essay is the most accurate way to characterize a reflective essay; you will have a lot to consider, understand, and explain in this kind of essay. You must exhibit the sensations that you have encountered in the past. It has to have integrity. You should put down any conflicting ideas and sentiments about the issue if you have them.
The articulation of concepts based on personal experience sets apart an analytical essay from a reflective essay as its defining characteristic.
What is the typical length of a reflective essay? It’s not hard at all. It depends on the subject you’re discussing and how you articulate your ideas. First, however, you must remember that this is a concise form of essay, and all you need is a few pages to complete it.
Nursing reflective essay examples
1) Nursing Professional Capstone Presentation and Reflection on Practicum Experience
Within the framework of Capstone’s professional activity, the author of this essay offers a reflective analysis of her previous experiences and abilities. The introspection happens both regarding the individual and those participating in the activity.
2) A program leading to a Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree Reflections
The author explains his abilities while developing and delivering his training program for registered nurses.
3) The Nursing Coursework Experience and Plans for the Future
The author offers some reflective thoughts on the experiences nurses have had as a result of completing his course, as well as what aspects of nursing are most important.
4) Video Reflection on Working with Colleagues from Other Professions for the NURS4010 Course
The author reflects on her interactions with the patient to illustrate her point. Excellent for students who already have some background in the specialized field.
How to write a good reflective nursing essay
Whether you like to reflect officially or informally, it is essential to record reflections regularly since it is easy to forget details over time. Whether you reflect formally or informally, it is important to record reflections on a routine basis. Regular reflection is good for your practice since the more you do it, the simpler the practice becomes. The more you reflect, the more helpful it is to your meditation.
You may merely use bullet points to capture the essential things at the moment, then come back to add more information if you are doing an informal reflection. If you are doing an informal style of reflection, the reflection might not be particularly extensive at this stage. You can also use a Dictaphone or an audio recording tool on your phone to record your thoughts, which you can then transcribe or listen to later.
Be sure, however, that any thoughts you record or write down have been anonymized following the rules for revalidation and the NMC Code. This implies that you should avoid mentioning the names of patients or coworkers and any other information that might lead to their identification. You must utilize the most recent version of the NMC reflective account template when reflecting for revalidation. This follows a defined approach that helps you to ‘live the Code’ by encouraging you to relate your thoughts to the NMC Code5 and allowing you to do so. As part of your reflective conversation, you will need to discuss these accounts with another NMC registrant.
According to the NMC, Code5 should serve as the primary topic of consideration for any reflective conversation. Because of this, you must make reflection a vital component of your practice. When doing so, it is important to keep in mind the following, among other things:
• Take some time for introspection.
• Recognize the potential value that it might offer to your practice.
• Make use of a framework only if you are confident in your ability.
• It is OK to jot down some notes; these may be brief, in the style of bullet points, and written in a conversational tone.
• You may be able to look back and see how much you’ve grown as a person and in your career if you keep a reflective journal or use other similar tools.
It has been shown that reflective thinking contributes significantly to one’s professional growth. Not only is it useful for revalidation, but it also allows you to get a deeper understanding of a wide range of circumstances and occurrences.
Reflective essay sample nursing
Analyze a medical contact with a patient who is a service user from a critical vantage point. The purpose of this article is to provide a critical appraisal of medical contact with a patient who is a service consumer. To illustrate reflection, we will use Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle. Reflection is linked to the ability to learn from one’s past experiences. Therefore, professionals committed to lifelong learning should consider it an essential tool in their toolbox (Jasper, 2013).
A more basic definition of reflective practice is “the process of learning from and about one’s own experiences to obtain fresh insights into one’s profession” (Bout et al., 1985; Jasper, 2013). This approach fosters the professional and personal development of certified and self-employed professionals (Jasper, 2013). Reflection in the six stages of Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle dates back to 1988 and enables the reflector to think about an activity or experience from beginning to end (Gibbs, 1998).
In contrast to Kolb’s reflective model (Kolb, 1984), the model encompasses information, actions, and emotions and proposes that experiences are repeated, which makes the model a more flexible method for analyzing a situation in a critical light to allow future adjustments in the context of the issue (Zeichner and Liston, 1996).
1) A personal example of a reflective nursing essay
During my first year of practice as a certified registered nurse, I was assigned to an oncology ward where the event that will be the subject of my reflection happened. Because of stomach cancer, an elderly patient was treated in the ward. The first thing we learned about him when he arrived was his notes, which revealed that he also had difficulty verbalizing his thoughts, in addition to having substantial learning challenges.
Two of the primary topics of reflection are how we spoke with patients to calm them down and demonstrate compassion, as well as how we altered our treatment to meet their specific requirements. Several members of the general public entered the hospital with a nurse to inspect the ward as part of a recruitment process. The nurse’s first act upon entering the patients ‘ area was informing the general public that radiation was being administered to the service users in that bay. As soon as the nurse’s words reached the patient, he broke down in tears, screamed, and banged his head against his pillow. It took several minutes before another nurse could soothe him with soothing words.
2) Emotions
When this event occurred, three people were interviewing for a position on an oncology unit, and I was aware that the nurse had been showing them around. I had only been working in the oncology ward for six months at the time of the event; therefore, I was unclear about my role within the team. In the end, I could not handle this circumstance on my own due to a lack of confidence and expertise. It’s possible that my increasing nervousness made it more difficult for me to step in, but both my coworkers and I should have done more to help the patient. When the nurse neglected to consider the service user’s requirements during a visit to the ward, I was astonished. This caused both the service user and the undue public anguish.
3) Insights into
Reflection has revealed positive and negative aspects of the experience, which has improved my knowledge of cancer patients’ experiences and my position as a nurse practitioner within that team. Prescribing and delivering medicine, proposing diagnostic testing and lab findings, managing treatment side effects, and offering patient support were all aspects of my job description. I also had to act in the best interests of the patients I worked with. I think I didn’t do a good enough job of carrying out the latter obligation. This need to ensure that the nurse taking visitors around the ward was aware of the service user’s communication challenges and consequent fear was not met. It demonstrates a lack of cohesion in our group since we failed to operate as a unit by sharing information and intervening before things got out of hand (Rutkowski, Gruder, and Romer, 1983).
4) Insights into the Situation
Nursing Times Clinical (2004) states that those with learning disabilities may have difficulty adjusting and, as a result, may display troublesome behavior when confronted with settings outside of their normal routine. A frequent and important reflection may help healthcare workers better understand how to connect with patients with a learning handicap, as stated by the Nursing Times Clinical (2004). It is recommended that experts learn about a patient’s communication style and likes and dislikes before admitting them to the hospital. They should also address any patient concerns by having them visit the ward and get to know the nurses there (Nursing Times Clinical, 2004).
This includes verbal and nonverbal means of communication and patient-centered/holistic care in meeting the needs of individuals with learning disabilities. As a result, professionals should maintain eye contact, look and listen to the patient, set aside more time for the patient, be communicative and interactive, and be patient. In some cases, professionals with experience working with people who have learning disabilities may be able to help the patient (Nursing Times Clinical, 2004).
According to MENCAP, poor communication is a major barrier to healthcare for those with learning difficulties (n.d). An advocate who can speak on behalf of the service user and provide information in many formats, including visuals, may help with this. They say that healthcare providers should regard all individuals equally, modify their services to fit a variety of requirements, and recognize that no two persons are the same (MENCAP, n.d). “The Code,” published by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) in 2015, states that all registered nurses and midwives must adhere to professional standards that include putting patients’ needs first, working efficiently to ensure patient safety, and fostering patient confidence in the profession’s ability to deliver quality care. To put it plainly, an incident in which another nurse failed to take into account a patient’s individual needs does not adhere to a professional code of conduct; as a result, they did not respond compassionately, paying attention to promoting the service user’s wellbeing by using various verbal and nonverbal communication methods (NMC, 2015). There are six attitudes and behaviors that are considered to be quality indicators for health care services: care, compassion, competence, communication, bravery, and dedication – and compassion is one of them (Department of Health, 2012). Patients should always be put at the center of all service delivery, and the 6Cs are an essential element of this (DoH, 2012).
5) Conclusion
It is because of my exposure to these kinds of circumstances that I am more aware today of the need to be forceful and professional in practice (and not believing that I am unable to accomplish anything because of where I sit on the team or how long I have been there). As a result of this event, I’m more conscious of the consequences of delaying action and the need to take action even when doing so may require guts. To improve team cohesion in the oncology ward, it is essential that strong working connections between medical personnel be prioritized (Rutkowski, Gruder, and Romer, 1983).
Plan of Action
My goal is to be more proactive in dealing with situations, regardless of my role in the team or level of experience; this includes dealing with a stressed service user, ensuring that information is passed on to the relevant staff, and intervening when I believe there is a risk to a service user’s health or mental wellbeing. Aside from that, I want to better meet the requirements of future patients with learning disabilities and adapt my approach to them in the future by using many modes of communication and doing my study into their unique needs.
I won’t take it for granted that other employees are always aware of and considerate of a service user’s unique requirements and triggers, and I won’t take it for granted that other employees are always acting professionally. Gibbs’ ongoing methodology for professional reflective practice will continue to guide my work (1988). The National League for Nursing’s principles and values about the particular needs of service users are also important to me, and I want to consistently and confidently execute them.
It is important to treat everyone with decency and respect, regardless of their background or circumstances.
To recognize the variety and diversity of individuals, their thoughts, beliefs, and cultures. Nursing, the National League for, 2017, n.d.
These ideals are furthered by implementing the National Health Service (NHS), which was founded on the belief that everyone should have access to high-quality, personalized treatment.
Reflective essay topics on nursing
1) Nursing empathy and support
2) One of the most crucial jobs of a nurse is communication with patients.
3) Nursing is the art of caring for those who are unwell.
4) The aim is to not inflict damage but to then aid.
5) Nursing time management.
6) The patient’s interests are prioritized.
7) Why did I decide to become a nurse?
8) In nursing, doctor-patient confidentiality is maintained.
9) The significance of developing soft skills for nurses.
10) Nursing knowledge should not be restricted to specialized professional knowledge.
11) An internship reflection essay.
12) Nursing ethics and culture
13) How do you reflect in your Nursing school personal statement?
14) Nursing deontology and its integration with my own experience
15) Essay on clinical reflection in nursing
16) Nursing concerns for the elderly
Reflective Nursing Essay Writing
Most nurses who write nursing reflective essays find that doing so helps them gain insight into how they deal with challenges that arise in the course of their job and how they may be able to evaluate either their work or the care they provide to their patients. In a sense, it also enables them to take up a means to write what they like and find a way to reflect on what they have written. It is, in general, a useful piece of equipment.
Reflective Essay in Nursing FAQ
1) How do you compose a reflective nursing essay?
An excellent personal essay of this kind reflects personal sentiments, impressions, and motivation. It should be based on a true story. Describe an interesting event that you encountered throughout your clinical placement program. Examine the feelings it evoked, what may have been better, and so on.
2) How can you compose an effective reflective essay?
Before writing, consider your reactions to a certain incident or issue. Then arrange them in a logical order. Remember to include an acceptable opening and a memorable finish.
3) How do you begin a nursing school essay?
Start by defining your purpose for pursuing this employment if you want to write an excellent application essay to further your career as a nurse. Then, draft your points and relevant examples before distilling the appropriate phrasing to make your thesis appealing and remarkable.
4) How do you end a reflective essay?
It is a good idea to read several reflective essay conclusion examples, but make sure your own version is personal and genuine. Because a reflective essay is about your ideas and observations, you may simply paraphrase and summarize them.
In conclusion
Writing Nursing Reflective Essay are beneficial. A nurse’s work is neither the simplest nor the most enjoyable profession in the world. They must go through a great deal of emotional upheaval and worry. A reflection nursing essay is just the appropriate instrument for them to let all out while reflecting on how much they have learned over their days or moments at work.
Read more: Top 200 Dissertation Topics For Research
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