One of the most popular methods of reflective writing for nursing students is Gibbs' Reflective Cycle.
I am sure that you all must have heard of it, as it is quite popular among nursing students. But if your answer is NO, then no worries, I will teach you everything about it.
In this blog, I will help you get a good grasp of Gibbs' Reflective Cycle to help you learn and grow. Reflecting on your experiences is your best chance to improve. So, let's go and see how it works.
What Is Gibbs' Reflective Cycle?
Before we jump into the examples, let me first understand what the Gibbs Reflective Cycle really means.
Well, if we go back into history, this cycle was created by Graham Gibbs in 1988.
It is a helpful tool to reflect on what has happened and learn from it to improve. Whether it's a good or bad experience, you think about it and make sure that you don't make the same mistakes twice and adopt the good outcomes.
So, this cycle basically has six stages, including:
- Description – What has happened?
- Feelings – Your reaction and feelings
- Evaluation – Whether it was good or bad
- Analysis – Assessing the whole situation
- Conclusion – What did you learn?
- Action Plan – What you can do next time
So, this is what Gibbs' Reflective Cycle really is. Trust me, this is really an effective tool. And it is not something that we can just apply in nursing writing. But it could be really helpful in our daily lives as well to improve ourselves.
Thus, let us explore some quick examples to understand this better.
Example 1: Experience of a Nursing Student
Description
I was assigned to take the Blood Pressure of a patient for the very first time during my clinical placement.
Feelings
I was feeling quite nervous as it was my first time and feared making any mistakes.
Evaluation
I followed the right steps strictly as instructed. But I took too much time and was not sure.
Analysis
I realised that even knowing the right steps. I was not confident enough because I had no real-world experience. And have not practised enough.
Conclusion
I believe that I need to practice more to take BP to be confident about the results and be more efficient.
Action Plan
Therefore, I will ask my supervisor to please allow me more opportunities to take BP during my clinical placements.
Well, that is all. It is really simple and quick. All you need to do is focus and try to learn from your experiences. And if anything bothers you, just hire expert nursing assignment writers uk to assist you.
So, let me give you another example to help you get better at it.
Example 2: A Role of Customer Service
Description
One of our online customers was really upset as their order got delayed. So, I had to deal with their complaint.
Feelings
I was really stressed as the customer was quite furious. But I stayed calm during our conversation.
Evaluation
I listen to them carefully to get all the details. And give them the right information. But I believe that I should have shown more empathy.
Analysis
So, I focused too much on solving the issue and failed to understand the frustration of our customer.
Conclusion
Good communication is not just about the facts. But it is about showing empathy and listening effectively as well.
Action Plan
Next time, I will make sure that I show more empathy and start the conversation with an apology to show more understanding of the situation.
Final Words
In a nutshell, Gibbs' Reflective Cycle might sound like a fancy name, but it is just a smart way to think about and reflect on what has happened. And how to get better at this if things repeat themselves.
So, these short examples here show how easy it is to use them in your daily life. Hence, next time when something important happens, whether it's good or bad, just make sure that you follow these steps and be surprised by the amazing results.
