Reflective writing
Reflective writing is a process through which the student connects their clinical practice and personal experiences to the theoretical knowledge. This exercise is a tool to develop critical thinking through the written form by description and analysis of a clinical event.
The student will follow the 5 stages of Gibb’s model for the reflective writing project for the semester. The Clinical Instructor will utilize the rubric developed for grading and submit the grade and document to the ADON for filing.
The expectation is for the student to reflect on a clinical event that occurred, and to process this event in their role as a developing RN using these stages. The overall goal for them is to
1) grow in their role as a future nurse by assimilating their reflection.
2) develop skill in writing a document by mastering flow, grammar, content, references.
The Clinical Instructor can chose to discuss this event in post conference from an over-all learning experience, without the expectation that it is required of the student to express their feelings (unless they are comfortable doing so).
This assignment is due by the assigned week into the semester (exact date set by Clinical Instructor). The faculty in both Clinical and Classroom will discuss the Reflective writing assignment and reinforce that this required project.
The student will create the document using the 5 stages below as a guide, but it is not mandatory for all the questions to be answered (at the discretion of the Clinical Instructor – the questions are a guide to facilitate reflection and growth).
1) Description – describe the situation in detail. When/where did this happen? How were you involved? Who else was there? What happened? What did you do? What did other people do? What was the result of this situation?
2) Feelings: they should write about what they thought & felt during the experience(**instructor should avoid commenting on emotions when grading);
• What did you feel be-fore this situation took place?
• What did you feel while this situation was occurring?
• What do you think others were feeling?
• What did you feel after?
• What do you think now?
• Any thoughts on how others perceive the situation now?
3) Evaluation (also entitled “analysis ” in some sources): an objective look.
• Need comments on what was positive about the situation?
• What felt negative?
• What went well?
• What didn’t go well?
• What did you do to contribute (either positive or negative)?
Sample Solution
Reflective writing is an analytical technique in which the writer presents a real or imagined scene, event, conversation, fleeting idea, or memory, and then adds a personal reflection on its significance. When reflecting, many reflective writers consider questions such “What did I notice?” “How has this affected me?” and “What may I have done differently?” As a result, the emphasis in reflective writing is on writing that is more than just descriptive. The writer returns to the situation to take notes on details and emotions, ponder on meaning, analyze what went well or highlighted a need for further education, and relate what happened to the rest of his or her life.
