Reflective Practice in Nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Reflective Practice in Nursing - Essay Example It will make use of Schon’s reflection model. Schon’s theory outlines two different types of reflection that occur at different time phases: reflection on action (Schon 1983) and reflection in action (Schon 1983). ‘Reflection in action’ is often referred to the colloquial phrase as ‘thinking on your feet’ a term used to being able to assess ourselves within a situation, making appropriate changes and still keeping a steady flow in the process. Reflection on action is when reflection occurs after the event. This is where the practitioner makes a deliberate and conscious attempt to act and reflect upon a situation and how it should be handled in the future (Loughran 1996). Nursing practitioners deal with various kinds of people every day, hence they should develop effective communication skills. Timmins (2011) contends that nursing competencies should include knowledge of building â€Å"therapeutic partnerships with their patients and colleagues through safe, effective and non-discriminatory communication, taking account of individual differences, capabilities and needs† (p. 31). This means that they should be resourceful enough in conveying their messages through verbal, non-verbal and written forms to be understood and also also understand people’s needs better. Being adept in active listening and empathic skills as well as reading and expressing non-verbal communication promote the safety and well-being of patients and is most likely to achieve the best outcomes.