nursing reflective essay example using driscoll

Full Guide on Driscoll Model of Reflection Nursing Essay

by ella | Feb 11, 2024 | Health

The Driscoll model of reflection nursing essay is among the simplest models you will encounter when studying your nursing program. Driscoll created three separate versions of it in 1994, 2004, and 2007. Driscoll looked into Terry Boston’s 1970 original stem questions: what? So what? And now what?

A nursing reflection model provides evidence of your general knowledge and aid in recovery following a traumatic event. The Driscoll model of reflection on nursing care ethics is some of the most well-known cycles of self-reflection that nursing students have to study. In this article, we will help you understand what is Driscoll’s model of reflection in healthcare and relevant Driscoll’s model of reflection in nursing examples. Before we dive into details, let’s first discuss what reflective models are.

What are reflective models?

In a health and social care program, reflections are commonly utilized tools. This process is known as practice review, which refers to the process through which students reflect on their past experiences in the field and provide feedback on how to improve their future methods. In a nutshell, reflection is an investigation conducted into past behavior and then using that information to inform future adjustments.

Improving the user experience is now considered a key growth strategy. The 5Rs provide a structure for introspective and strategic thinking that is important to the reflective process. They are engaged in various activities, including reporting, responding, relating, thinking, and reconstructing.

Anyone can use this framework to think deeply and reflectively about any event in their lives. Various models are now employed for introspective reasons, but the Driscoll model of reflection nursing essay is the most common.

What is Driscoll’s model of reflection?

As its name implies, Driscoll’s reflective model is a reflecting model. This is one of the simplest models to use for quick reference in the nursing field. Driscoll is honored for developing this model in 1994, 2004, and 2007.

The model describes the experimental learning cycle as having three stages. These three phases are based on questions asked by Terry Boston in 1970.

What are the steps in Driscoll’s model of reflection?

Stage 1: what.

The first part of the structured reflection requires you first to answer the following questions:

• What was the experience or circumstance you will be reflecting on?
• What were the main events?
• What did you do, specifically?
• Was there another person involved?
• Did you have a good time? Or bad? Maybe both? To what end, exactly?

Stage 2: so what?

This section of the structured reflection requires that you respond to the following questions:

• Answer this question: “How did you feel that moment?”
• How did you respond?
• What prompted such a response from you?
• Do you remember how you felt then and how you feel now?
• Was there a time when your actions contradicted what you believed in?
• Is it possible that events in the past color your perspective on this circumstance?
• Can you name any other involved people? Was their emotional state? What was their reaction, if any? To what end did their response serve?

Stage 3: now what?

The following questions must be addressed for you to comprehend the structure of Driscoll’s model of reflection fully:

• What have you learned from thinking about this experience?
• Can you think of ways that bad things might have been avoided?
• What could you have done to make the experience better?
• How would you handle a similar circumstance differently in the future?
• How can you make yourself more ready for this?
• What went wrong in the past, and what will you do differently this time?

You can draw meaningful conclusions about your life by asking yourself these three questions. Based on this essay, you should begin by providing some background on the primary incident, circumstance, experience, or event. This first step is simple but crucial because it will offer you an accurate view of the situation.

Evaluation of Driscoll’s model

Although it is not the most frequently referenced model of reflection, Driscoll’s model offers several benefits, primarily due to its ease of use. Compared to other approaches, the three-stage model is simpler and easier to recall. The ease with which a given instrument or framework can be employed increases the likelihood that its user will do so.

How to write a Driscoll model of reflection nursing essay?

Now that we know what a Driscoll reflective model is, we can discuss how to complete your nursing essay using this model. Follow the steps below to apply this model the next time you’re required to reflect on an incident in your nursing course:

• Get more insights on the assignment’s discussion topic before moving forward.
• Decide the model of the reflective cycle you will use. While other models exist, Driscoll’s simplicity has made it the standard. (Skip this if it’s explicitly stated in the question.)
• Using a sheet of paper, list this approach’s three primary concerns and steps. These phrases are “WHAT,” “SO WHAT,” and “NOW WHAT?”
• Brainstorm more on the three questions above in relation to your experience, then discuss, study, and develop answers.
• After completing these questions, you can research more on every section and tackle the rest.

Following these five steps can swiftly implement this paradigm in your assignment. Remember to check your work for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.

What are the benefits of using Driscoll’s model of reflection?

Many college students question “why it is important to use Driscoll’s reflective model?” when writing research papers. Here is the correct explanation for removing any confusion about the reflective model. It’s used in several sectors where a standardized approach would be counterproductive because the student’s skills make a difference in how well they perform or how quickly they complete a task.

A study claims that the reflective learning paradigm can be used in more than just educational contexts and fields. The meditative approach speeds up the learning process and enhances the value of first-hand experience. All possible applications in the real world were taken into account while developing the model. In nursing, we mostly use the Driscoll model of reflection when writing essays. Nursing is one of the many disciplines that use reflective learning.

Many parts of nursing present a wide range of scenarios that demand subjective assessment. A nurse’s role is to assist patients with their unique needs by educating them about possible medical methods. By facilitating learning and exposure to medical situations, the nurse improves the likelihood of providing adequate care. It helps people interact productively and reflect on their experiences, leading to greater self-awareness and a deeper comprehension of the world.

Different Driscoll model of reflection pros and cons

In this part, we’ll discuss the benefits and disadvantages of utilizing the Driscoll reflective cycle when writing your nursing essay :

Benefits of Driscoll’s reflective model

• It is effective and fast in its results.
• The procedure is quick and easy to use.
• It is simple to understand and implement.
• It’s a straightforward survey format that serves the same purpose.
• It’s easy enough for beginners to use immediately.

Disadvantages of Driscoll reflective model

• It does not allow for more in-depth contemplation.
• It can’t handle deep or multi-stage reflection.

There are just two major drawbacks to this paradigm and five significant benefits. This demonstrates why it is the best format to incorporate discussions on your nursing practices during the assignment. At onlinnursingpapers.com, we can help complete your paper using the Driscoll model of reflection on nursing care ethics.

Closing statement

The question of “How do you write a reflection using Driscoll?” has been appropriately answered. Our essay writers can also help you complete a quality Driscoll model of reflection nursing essay on time. At onlinenursingpapers.com , we have a reputation for delivering quality nursing essay-writing services to students around the world

We trust that you are now motivated to order with us for your homework. You can also connect with us via phone, text, or snail mail at any time, and we will be here to assist you. Get in touch with us today for unmatched services.

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NURSING REFLECTIVE ESSAY USING DRISCOLL'S MODEL By Student's Name Course Tutor Institution City/State Date Nursing Reflective Essay using Driscoll's Model

Nursing Reflective Essay using Driscoll’s Model Introduction This reflective essay will examine my understanding and the skills that I developed from our nursing promotion project. The essay is based on the cycles presented by Driscoll’s model. The three processes presented by the model helped us to reflect the individual performance in comparison with the group performance. The model also helped us to make adjustments that I will make to improve my future understanding of the nursing practices. The processes under Driscoll’s model include what, so what (the feeling about the experience) and Now what (if it happens again what you would do differently). I will, therefore, focus on the model to link theory to the nursing practice Application of Driscoll’s model What (The Occurrences) The application of the reflection will enable me to explore a number of areas that will improve my experience in the nursing practice; this will help me to develop the necessary skills that will improve the quality of care. The reflection on the experiences will also help me improve my understanding of the medical practices and consequently allow self-criticism. The first skill is to ensure that we improve the communication with the clients so that to improve the health services within the nursing profession (Fernandez, Chelliah & Halim, 2015, 120). The knowledge we shared in the group will enable me to draw the communication skills that will enable me better understand the needs of the clients within the health platform. Understanding the needs of the patients and the colleagues help to create and maintain confidentiality in the health practice. My feeling about the experience I learned that the level of communication between the nursing practitioner and the service user becomes impaired when it is not standardized. The group's research will enable me to carry out independent research to establish the effects of negative health promotion practices that risk creating impairment in the communication process. However, from the interim findings on the health promotion project, the group found out that about 80% of the mentally challenged people have high chances of having the communication difficulties (Freshwater, Walsh & Esterhuizen, 2017, 81). It is, therefore, necessary to focus on using the media forms like signs and pictures to enhance communication. Through observation, I will be able to provide care in a dignified way. Some of the issues I raised in the group have helped me look at the nursing provision from a different angle than just a normal health practice. People should be treated with dignity and respect. Respect help to maintain good communication between the group members and the people within the health setup. The concept of the health practice should be nursing service first to ensure that the individuals' autonomy is respected. My Reaction to the Team’s Perception At some time my input to the team's perception differed because diverse opinions that the members held. However, the contribution of the members helped to improve my understanding of the health promotion principles. On the other hand, as an emerging nurse, the experience I learned from my colleagues has enabled me to re-examine my nursing skills in order to match them with the health promotion principles. Although sometimes, I did not agree with some contributions of the members of the team, a more robust approach should be encouraged to ensure that each member perform independent research such that the group sum up the findings and make up a comprehensive conclusion (Tesh & Kautz, 2017, 118). The other improvement of the work group is to ensure that the health promotion principles are streamlined according to the principles of the World Health Organization. What to do differently from the group I would propose a meaningful communication between the group members. There should be a meaningful exchange of ideas, opinions, and feelings of members before the group makes a conclusion on what is supposed to be incorporated into the health promotion principles. All members of the group should be given equal chances of contributing to the team. Sometimes I felt frustrated as a nurse because I believe in the equality of the members of the team. In the future, communication in the group should be both verbal and non-verbal (Horton‐Deutsch & Sherwood, 2008, 947). There may be members who have an important contribution to the group but because of the communication difficulties, it becomes hard for them to express themselves. Promotion of Health Promotion Practices From the findings of the group, it is evident that nurses and the care providers in the health sector should create a conducive environment. I will propose that the health practitioners should be adaptable and creative in order to understand the patients who come from different backgrounds. Being accommodative eliminates chances of disempowering the patients and other workers who have challenges in communication (Corrall, 2017, 43). For instance, people with dementia may feel outpaced when they see others moving or speaking. Therefore, it is necessary for the nurses to be accommodative and friendly to all people during the provision of the health services. I have been able to realize the importance of the inter-professional working as a team when creating regulations that will be observed by all people in the same field. It is, therefore, important to encourage holistic adherence to the health promotion principles at all levels. The learning that I have gained through the interaction with the members of the group will positively impact my nursing practice in the future. I believe the changes in the dynamics of the society needs all the nursing practitioners to create principles that will be able to accommodate the needs of the society. Conclusion In conclusion, as an emerging nurse, the experienced that I have gained will enable me to demonstrate the nursing skills that will adhere to the health promotion principles. The Driscoll's reflective cycle has enabled me to examine my experiences from all the aspects of life. It has served as a framework for the establishment of my ability to examine different nursing skills and identify the ones that will improve the health promotion practices. I have been able to identify how the concept of dignity controls all the levels of the nursing practice. The model has given me a chance to acquit myself in relation to the health practice principles before escalating the whole issue. I believe the application of the Driscoll’s reflective cycle will help me become a professional nurse through the application of theory and practice.

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72 John Driscoll’s “What?” Cycle of Reflection

The previous chapter on reflection, “Writing About Writing: Becoming a Reflective Practitioner,” offered an introduction to reflective writing and explained how critical reflection is so important to the learning process. This chapter will look more closely at one of the most common and simplest models for how to practice the kind of reflection that fosters “reflective practitioner” attitude: John Driscoll’s cycle of reflection, which follows a “What, So What, Now What” process. The end of this chapter offers an example assignment based on the Driscoll model.

What? So What? Now What?

John Driscoll originally developed the “What?” cycle of reflection for healthcare practitioners, but it has since been picked up by many different kinds of learners. The model includes three very basic steps:

• WHAT? Describe what happened.
• SO WHAT? Analyze the event.
• NOW WHAT? Anticipate future practice, based on what you learned.

Each step requires both different rhetorical strategies and distinct forms of cognition. Step  1, “What?”, challenges the learner to recall what happened as objectively as possible, without critiquing anything that happened. Step 2, “So what?”, requires the learner to slow down and begin looking for patterns or moments of significance. Here, the key is to bring in concepts that help shed light on what’s going on. In a writing course, for example, a student might learn different rhetorical terms that relate to persuasion, such as  logos ,  pathos , and  ethos . Analyzing the experience according to anyone of those terms is a form of analysis. Finally, Step 3, “Now what?”, encourages the learner to begin  transferring new knowledge to future situations and other contexts. As the introductory chapter to this section explains, transfer is key to becoming a reflective practitioner.

Here’s a video of that carefully illustrates each step, published by the McLaughlin Library at the University of Guelph:

Example of the Driscoll Cycle of reflection

The following example of the Driscoll cycle was developed by a student at The Robert Gillespie Science of Learning .

The trickiest step for those new to practicing this kind of critical reflection is moving from the straightforward objectivity of Step 1 to the more analytical kind of writing that happens in Step 2. As the commentary for Step 2, “So what?” explains, the second paragraph practices analysis by comparing current experience with an earlier one. Comparison and contrast brings in external content (the other experience) to help do the analysis. There are other ways to accomplish this cognitive move, however. As mentioned above, another strategy for analyzing content is to map experiences to key concepts or ideas picked up from the lesson material.

Sample Assignment: “ Ceasefire  Reflective Essay”

The following assignment was developed for English 101: Writing and Rhetoric I at the College of Western Idaho.

Assignment Directions : Write a reflective essay that 1) narrates and describes your engagement on the Ceasefire platform and also 2) critically reflects on that experience.

Purpose : The goal of this Unit is to practice discussing difficult issues in a civil manner, and to identify what kinds of behaviors and communication strategies work best to effectively engage with others in public and professional environments.

Genre : This is a Reflective Essay that fosters a “reflective practitioner” approach to learning. The use of the first person (I, me, mine) is encouraged. The essay should narrate and describe your Ceasefire participation, while also reflecting more generally on how the experiment might help in future situations and different contexts.

Audience : While the Ceasefire experiment and reflections are intended to benefit the writer, the writing should be directed towards other students and teachers who are not familiar with the materials in this Unit. Provide sufficient context, define important terms, and write in a style that conveys professionalism.

Basic Requirements :

• At least 4.5 pages double-spaced
• Formatted in MLA Style, including in-text citations and a Works Cited page
• Revision Cover Letter
• When participating on the Ceasefire website, you will be expected to post a position or question, as well as respond to at least two other posts.

Background on the Ceasefire experiment

While this essay will have a traditional introduction, body and conclusion (like any academic essay), the body will be composed of two main kinds of content. A considerable portion should be dedicated to describing and narrating your experiment with engaging others on the Ceasefire website. At the same time, however, you will be expected to use lessons from this Unit, including the Open Mind learning modules, to critically reflect on that engagement, explaining what it taught you about engaging other beliefs in a civil environment.

Ceasefire Website

Ceasefire is a website whose stated goal is to “improve the world’s discussions.” The mission goals of the website point out that, as our society becomes increasingly polarized, most online discussions have been limited to social media platforms. The end result is even more polarization and “heightened tensions,” rather than understanding and empathy. The Ceasefire website evolved as a solution to that problem. It aims to provide an online space “devoted to the exploration of views” in a civil environment. In this Unit you will be asked to engage with Ceasefire.

Students will be expected to register for a free account and post one of the following two options:

• Opinion: Present an opinion you hold or lean towards to test your understanding of the issue and potentially discover flaws in your thinking.
• Question: There may be an issue you wish to explore but have no clear stance on, perhaps due to conflict thoughts or a general lack of understanding. You can ask a question to launch a discussion about it.

In addition to creating a unique post, you will be expected to respond to at least two other posts published to Ceasefire .

OpenMind Learning Modules

In order to prepare for civil engagement on Ceasefire  , we’ll start the Unit by completing Steps 1-5 of the OpenMind educational platform. OpenMind is “an interactive platform that equips people with a set of practical tools to think clearly and communicate constructively across differences.” The learning modules are based on certain psychological principles intended to help depolarize educational, corporate, and civic communities. In addition to preparing us for difficult discussions, the platform will also provide us with a variety of key rhetorical and psychological principles to help analyze our experience.

Getting Started with OpenMind & Ceasefire

There are a number of steps we’ll follow in order to get started on our “ Ceasefire Reflective Essay”. We’ll complete these steps over the course of two weeks:

Step 1: Sign up for an OpenMind account, join our group, then take the 5 modules. These modules will train us to spot cognitive bias and become familiar with moral reasoning. The “moral matrix” from will provide us with some analytical terms you may want to use when reflecting on your Ceasefire  experience.

Step 2: Sign up for a Ceasefire  account. As a class, we’ll also look at the site rules and examples of strong posts.

Step 3: Develop a Ceasefire post and respond to at least two others. As you engage with Ceasefire , take notes on the process. These notes will help you write part 1 of your Reflective Essay.

Step 4: Become familiar with the Rhetorical Appeals, as well as kairos and exigence . In addition to the OpenMind’s “moral matrix,” these rhetorical concepts will help you critically reflect on the Ceasefire  experiment.

Step 5: Draft and revise your Reflective Essay. Use the Outline included in this prompt to help structure your essay.

Essay Outline

The following Outline uses Driscoll’s “What, So What, Now What?” structure as a way to critically reflect on our experiment with civil engagement.

Write What Matters Copyright © 2020 by Joel Gladd is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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How to Write a Nursing Reflective Essay (Guide for Nurse Students)

If you are a nursing or medicine student, you are aware that you will come across or have already come across assignments requiring you to write a nursing reflection essay. At first, such a task always appears challenging, but given the understanding of the steps, things flat out, and you can write reflective essays and get better grades.

Reflective practice is highly encouraged in nursing. Reflection entails making sense of situations, events, actions, and phenomena in the workplace.

As a nursing student, you will be asked to write a reflective essay on your clinical placement, practicum, shadowing experience, shadow health DCE activities, personal nursing philosophy, why you want to become a nurse, nursing program, ethical dilemma, knowledge, skills, and abilities, systems, and processes.

The easiest way to complete the reflective essay assignment is by first determining what reflective writing entails, its significance, its steps, and some of the best tips that form the core of this ultimate guide.

Basics of Reflective Writing in Nursing

Reflective writing is an analytical writing practice where the writer describes a real or imaginary event, scene, phenomenon, occurrence, or memory, including their takeaway. It entails the critical analysis of an experience, including recording how it has impacted you and what you intend to do with the new knowledge or how to act when such an occurrence recurs.

As you document the encounter, you can use first-person pronouns and write subjectively and objectively. This means that you can decide to either use personal experiences alone or support these experiences using citations from scholarly sources.

When writing a reflective essay in nursing, you must recount the events and give critical detail of how the events shaped your knowledge acquisition. Reflection helps nursing students develop skills in self-directed learning, which is directly associated with high motivation and improved quality of care .

In most cases, reflection occurs on what went well and what went wrong. It could be a successful operation, a thank you note from a patient, a patient who regained their health faster, or a new nursing care plan that worked. However, it can also be about adverse events such as death, postoperative complications, death of an infant at birth, dissatisfied patient, medical error, or a failed procedure.

As a nursing student, when you learn to reflect on situations, you grow to become a professional nurse who diligently does their noble duty.

When writing a reflective essay, you begin by setting the scene (explaining what, where, how, and who-the situation), detailing how you felt (emotional state), why it happened (making sense of the situation), critical review and development of insights, a note on what was learned, and strategies to address future recurrence.

Your professor may ask you to write a nursing reflective paper about various topics in your course or your experience working in a group, how you solved a problem, a healthcare issue, or clinical practice. Consider the following example of a reflective statement in nursing; in my clinical practices, I realized I focused more on the technical aspects but failed to explain what it was doing to improve their health. I would like to understand more about listening to patience and their concerns to better care for them.

As you will notice later, these reflective stages are structured into different reflective models and frameworks that we will explore in-depth. So, with the understanding of what comprises reflective writing and its importance in nursing, let's now get solid on the structure.

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Structure of a Reflective Essay in Nursing

A reflective essay is an analytical writing piece describing and evaluating encounters or experiences. When asked to write one, you should know that an excellent reflective essay consists of different parts, just like a typical academic essay. It comprises the cover or title page, introduction, body paragraphs, conclusions, and a references page.

The title page contains information about the assignment. If you are writing the reflective essay in APA, include these on the title page:

• Title of the reflective essay
• Course code and name
• Instructors name
• Name of your institution
• Date of submission

When writing in Harvard format, the title or the cover page will consist of the following:

• Title of the essay in title case and the page number (upper right margin),
• Title of the essay in CAPS,
• Name of class or course,
• Name of the instructor,
• Name of your school,
• City and state where your school is located and,
• The date of submission.

Introduction

The introduction begins with an attention grabber or a hook sentence to attract readers' attention. It should then explain the essay's purpose and signpost the ideas that will come later in the essay. The introduction also has a thesis statement at the end of the paragraph- the last sentence. The thesis is concise, clear, and relatable and should reflect your position.

Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs of a reflective essay can be three or more, depending on the length of the essay. Essentially, the body comprises 80% of the total word count.

The first paragraph is where you describe the situation, including the events, why they occurred, how they occurred, and those involved.

The second paragraph entails your personal feelings or reaction to the situation and how it made you feel.

The third paragraph can include making sense of the situation. You have to think about why things happened the way they did. You should also critically review and develop insights based on the situation. Finally, think of the factors that could have influenced the situation.

The next paragraph should explain how the event or situation will change your practice, approach, decisions, perspective, or perception. This is where you evaluate the experience by detailing the knowledge and skills you took from the experience.

The last body paragraph should entail a critical reflection on the learning opportunities. First, describe the situation and what it made you learn. Next, elaborate on how you intend to make yourself better poised to address such situations.

Mostly, you should structure the body of your essay as per the preferred nursing reflective model.

After everything else falls into place, you need to summarize the information you presented in the essay. Then, finally, restate your thesis and have a call to action to bring a sense of closure to your readers.

Steps for Writing a Nursing Reflection Essay � The Guide

When assigned to write a reflective essay for your nursing class, here are the surefire steps to get you to success.

Read the instructions

The first step after receiving an assignment is to begin reading the instructions. as you read, note what your instructor or professor expects in the paper you will submit for marking.

Reading instructions helps you to get informed on the scope of the paper, word count, number of references and pages, and the formatting style to use.

Besides, you also get to plan your paper with the deadline highlighted in the instructions.

You need to get a conducive environment where you can start writing.

The first step of writing is to brainstorm about situations during your clinical hours when you were shadowing a Nurse Practitioner or one you have read about.

Assess whether the situation or scenario you have thought, encountered, or chosen can help you write a reflective essay that meets the requirements.

Research and Plan

After choosing a scenario, the next step is researching the best reflective model.

You can use your class text, the instructions, the college library, course readings, and online nursing journals to get articles and resources with information about specific reflective models.

Select the best reflective model and take notes on the steps it entails.

As you research, write down notes on how to address your paper based on your selected framework or model of reflection . Additionally, research nursing journal articles with information you can use when critically analyzing a situation.

Plan how you will handle the paper as well. For instance, as you research, develop a thesis statement that grounds your entire paper, then draft an outline on how to develop the thesis.

Write an Outline

Outlining is a crucial aspect of writing. It helps you envision how you will meet the objective of writing a reflective essay. As an essential part of the essay writing process, outlining helps create a good flow of ideas and can come in handy in helping you overcome writer's block. Your outline should comprise the following:

• The hook or attention grabber
• Thesis statement
• Main points of each body paragraph (topic sentence, evidence, examples, illustrations, etc.)
• Conclusion (restated thesis and call-to-action)

With the outline done, you should take a break and resume writing your first draft of the nursing reflection essay. Writing with an outline helps avoid mistakes and also helps you write faster.

Describe the Experience

Once you have identified the relevant experience, begin describing it chronologically.

Describe the experience that prompted you to consider nursing your ideal career goal. Think of this experience's key elements, such as the setting, patient demographics, and significant events that impacted you.

Show how these events changed your perspective on life. Ensure you are as descriptive as possible to paint a clear picture for readers.

Consider the following questions to come up with a good description:

• What happened?
• Was there someone involved? If yes, what part did they play?
• Where did the event take place?
• What actions did you take?

Set the context of this experience by giving relevant background information. Ensure you are objective and pay attention to the facts.

Provide a Reflection

Talk about your feelings and thoughts concerning the particular experience you went through. You have to be honest and open up about your initial expectations and challenges you faced at each stage of the experience. The following questions can help you come up with a good reflection:

• What was I trying to achieve?
• What prompted me to act the way I did?
• Are there any consequences for my actions? If yes, what are they?
• How did I feel about this event as it was happening?
• How did those around me react to it?
• How do I know how those around me felt about it?

Analyze the Experience

Description of an experience is essential, but so is analysis. You have to move beyond the surface and give a critical analysis of your experience.

State your actions, and your overall experience will give insights into your experience. Think of how the experience has impacted your actions, feelings, and thoughts.

Give an Evaluation

Evaluate the skills and knowledge you got from the experience. Show how you can apply these skills and knowledge in your nursing practice. Also, state the actions and interventions you took during the nursing experience.

State whether you achieved the desired outcome and if there are any specific areas that you need to improve on.

Talk about how you built or improved skills like communication, teamwork, and critical thinking.

As you evaluate the experience, identify what you believe to be your strengths and weaknesses in the nursing experience. What have you learned from the experience? State the areas where you excelled and what abilities contributed to your success.

Talk about how those you were with during the clinical experience complimented you. Similarly, acknowledge your weaknesses.

What kind of mistakes did you make, and how did you improve them? Talk about the tasks that drain you most during the experience.

Illustrate Learning

Demonstrate elements of deeper thought and reflection levels. This is a great point to include nursing theories in your reflection essay to support analysis of your experience.

Relate your experiences to the theoretical frameworks you were taught in class. This is effective learning and will demonstrate your ability to apply knowledge to real-life nursing situations.

Doing this will also show that you can effectively deduce different things from observations made during the reflection process.

Ensure you also demonstrate a change in perspective, as this will prove that you learned something from the experience.

Write Your Conclusion

Conclude by summarizing your points and highlighting the lessons learned.

The lessons you reached as part of your reflection should support your overall conclusion.

Also, restate your thesis statement.

Come Up with an Action Plan

Now that you have learned from your reflection develop an action plan for future nursing practice.

This part should contain all the details you have learned and actions needed to improve when faced with a similar situation. Consider the following questions:

• What would I change if faced with a similar situation?
• How can I develop the necessary skills needed to face this situation?
• How can I act differently in a similar situation?  

Ensure you identify areas to improve and set realistic goals to enhance your nursing skills. Discuss how you intend to seek additional education, training, or mentorship to address your shortcomings.

Finally, end the essay with a happy note so readers know you learned something from the experiences.

Proofread, Edit, and Polish

After doing your first draft, take a break to relax and get out of the writing mood - it helps you to become objective.

You can then resume reading out loud to yourself, make necessary tweaks, and ensure that every part you include meets the rubric requirements.

Edit for grammar, punctuation, tenses, voice, spelling, and use of language. You should also proofread the essay to adhere to the style, organization, and presentation requirements.

Ensure that all the in-text citations are accounted for in the reference list and are up-to-date. You are good to go when you have an essay that meets all the instructions.

Finally, you can submit the paper for grading.

Writing is not everyone's cup of tea. For that reason, you can hire a nursing reflection essay writer from our website to assist you in crafting a top-grade paper. In addition, we have nursing writers whose forte is writing various nursing papers.

Choosing the suitable Reflective Model or Framework

As you can see above, many reflective models are used for your reflective essay. We have not exhaustively listed and expounded on all of them. Other reflective models and frameworks you can also consider when writing a reflective essay in nursing include:

• Bouds Reflective Model
• Brookfield Reflective Model
• Pender's Health Promotion Model
• Roper Logan and Tierney Model
• Driscoll Reflective Model
• The Johari window model

Note that most nursing instructors will often suggest the models they prefer for you to use in your essay.

For example, in most nursing reflective essays. Whichever the case, readily available information expands on each model to make it easier to write a reflection essay on a specific aspect of nursing education or practice.

Read the assignment rubric and instructions to understand the specific model. If it is unclear, ask for clarification from your instructor early enough.

Tips for Writing a Good Nursing Reflective Essay

As you try to figure out how to write a nursing reflective essay, keep the following tips in mind.

Choose the Right Topic

If the instructions from your professors involve choosing a topic for the reflective essay, you must select one that is meaningful to you.

This will ensure you can easily write and easily develop relevant elements about the topic. Therefore, take time to pick a topic that you find interesting.

As you write, ensure you stay on topic, whether sharing a one-off event or a recurrent story.

Use the Right Tone

A reflective essay is more personal, unlike other types of academic essays. This means you don't need a strict or formal tone.

Since this is about your experiences, use personal pronouns such as I and Me.

Be Vulnerable

You must be extremely vulnerable to learn how to write a reflective essay in nursing.

Be open about your thoughts, feelings, and beliefs about something you went through that sparked an interest in nursing.

It's okay to share mistakes or things you did wrong that eventually led you to this career path.

Choose the Right Focus

A reflection essay is all about narrating your experience during the nursing experience.

While including other people in your experience is okay, please let them not be the center of your reflection.

This is your essay, so you should be the focus of attention.

Keep it Brief

A good nursing reflection essay should be between 300 and 800 consciously written words. Because of this length, you must only write relevant information about your reflection. Refrain from lengthy reflections, as they make it difficult to pass your points across.

Convey Your Information Wisely

Even though a nursing reflection essay is about your personal experiences, it doesn't mean you should reveal everything about yourself. Ask yourself whether something is appropriate before including it in your paper.

Mistakes to Avoid When Writing a Reflection Essay in Nursing

A good reflection essay involves reflecting on your nursing studies and practices throughout school and career to demonstrate your competence. For this reason, there are certain mistakes you should be aware of when writing an essay.

Not including a Personal Story

Like food tastes bland without salt, so does a reflection essay without a personal story. At the center of a reflection essay is You. This means the essay should focus on your personal story that led you to want a nursing career. A lot of times, students miss out on this instead of talking about their story. You need more than just the personal qualities you think will be a great fit for the nursing program; you must also share a story that shows how well you contributed to nursing care.

Failing to Share Your Experience

You will lose points when you fail to include nursing-related experiences in your reflection essay. Mentioning that you want to be a nurse is great, but failing to show specific events that led to the desire will cost you a great point.

Plagiarizing Your Essay

Plagiarism is a serious academic offense because it is considered taking other people's ideas and using them as your own without crediting the author. So, provide relevant citations and references for any ideas that aren't your own. Also, an AI will not write your essay as a human writer would. 

Related Readings:

• How to write a student nurse resume with no experience.
• PICOT examples and guides

Sample of a Nursing Reflective Essay 

The following is a sample of a nursing Reflective essay using Gibb's Model of Reflection. Use this sample to guide you when writing your own.

Introduction  Communication is an important element in healthcare practice as it determines patient satisfaction and treatment outcomes. This essay will focus on reflecting on an experience I went through with a 40-year-old diabetic patient who also had a foot infected with an ulcer. When I approached the patient to sign the consent form, I noticed that he wasn't happy because of the news given to him about his health. I concluded that there must be a communication dilemma. I will reflect on the experience using Gibb's Model of Reflection. Using this model, I will identify and discuss the actions taken to resolve the issue. Description  This incident happened a few months ago when I was working as a wound nurse in a Methodist hospital in my hometown. I was part of a care team handling the case of a 40-year-old male patient with diabetes and an infected diabetic foot ulcer. After careful examination, a team comprising various specialists concluded that his leg needed amputation below the knee. After making this decision, the team left, and I was asked to give the patient a consent form to sign. When I came back from retrieving the form, I noticed the patient looked sorrowful because of the news given to him. Feelings  As soon as I saw the patient, I knew what he was going through. He perceived the situation to be irreparable, but I wasn't sure whether to console the patient or not. I was powerless and couldn't imagine what he was going through. At the same time, I was startled that the team left without showing any compassion. They could have handled the situation more delicately. I, on the other hand, could have relayed the information better. I wasn't sure whether my approach would be acceptable or appropriate. Evaluation  I always go back to that particular situation and wonder whether I could have acted better. The situation helped me better understand the importance of good communication in patient care, particularly in therapeutic care. Before the incident, I didn't acknowledge the role of nurses play in caring for patient's emotional needs. I realized nurses must show compassion and console patients in their low moments.  Analysis  Most healthcare professionals do not know how to deliver bad news to patients. They find the process extremely challenging and always feel psychologically unprepared. This has a negative impact on patients and could lead to bad health outcomes. Furthermore, how information is relayed could impact a patient's adherence to treatment. Because of these effects, multiple protocols and approaches were developed to help with communicating bad news to patients. One of the approaches that was proposed is emotion-centered. This proposes that a healthcare provider acknowledges how sad the patient is and builds a professional relationship based on empathy and sympathy. Action Plan I now understand the essence of communicating bad news with compassion. The experience allowed me to look closely at different aspects of my professional development that needed more improvement. Thus, I plan to be more empathetic and speak up in support of patient's emotional and psychological well-being, especially when presented with traumatic news about their health. Additionally, I now understand I am not powerless when dealing with a sorrowful patient. I believe I have learned from my experience, and I'm not able to communicate well with patients any more. Conclusion  The experience allowed me to value good communication in nursing and the need to incorporate it into daily nurse-patient interaction. Nurses must learn how to deliver bad news and manage patient's sorrow. This has been and will continue to be my biggest priority in patient care. References Street Jr, R. L., Makoul, G., Arora, N. K., & Epstein, R. M. (2009). How does communication heal? Pathways linking clinicianpatient communication to health outcomes. Patient education and counselling, 74(3), 295-301. Buckman, R. (1992). Breaking bad news: why is it still so difficult? BMJ: British Medical Journal, 304(6842), 886. Ptacek, J. T., & Eberhardt, T. L. (1996). Breaking bad news: a review of the literature. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 276(6), 496-502.

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• Meticulous Explanation of Driscoll Model of Reflection
• Exploring Different Types of Reflection Models with Examples

Driscoll gave the model of reflection in 1994 as a framework to guide self-reflection among individuals regarding some event or happenings. The model was developed on a basis of the Borton model of reflection which focuses on three questions (Gladd, 2021). What? So what? and Now what? These three questions help to reflect on an event or situation but do you know that answering these questions can be ambiguous at times? Yes, this is a reason that Driscoll developed a new reflective model by matching it to the experiential learning cycle. Driscoll's model of reflection also provided additional guidance regarding what should be reported at each stage of reflection.

Table of Contents

• Stages of Driscoll's model of reflection
• Example of Driscoll's model of reflection

Three stages of Driscoll’s model of reflection

Stage 1: what stage.

The first stage in this reflection is “ What stage ?” which considers describing a whole situation by answering a few questions which are listed as follows-

• What happened? In this stage, you will focus on the background information highlighting instances of the event you are reflecting upon.
• What did you observe? In this, you will focus on the additional information that you noticed throughout the occurrence of the event.
• What were the actions taken? In this, you will highlight the major actions taken by you and the other people involved in the situation.
• How did you react? While answering this question, you will focus on the reactions given by you throughout the event occurrence.
• How did others react? In this, you will highlight the various ways in which others involved in the situation reacted.
• What were the most surprising elements in the occurrence of the event? In this, you will highlight the aspects of the event that gave you a feeling of shock or surprise.

Stage 2: So what

The second stage of this reflection is “ So what ?” which aims to promote understanding of the event by triggering reflection on the feelings of individuals regarding the event. The few questions that are answered at this stage include-

• How did you feel during the occurrence? In this, you will focus on underlining the feelings you had during the event you are reflecting upon.
• How do you feel regarding the event at this moment? While answering this question, you will highlight the feelings you are having about the event at this moment.
• Do you feel different regarding the situation and why? In this, you will highlight the difference in feelings during and after the occurrence of the event.
• What were the positive aspects of this event? In this, you will focus on all the positive things that happened during the event.
• What were the negative aspects? After highlighting the positive aspects, you will also focus on the negative aspects of the event.
• What were others feeling? While answering this question, you will highlight the feelings of other people involved in the situation.
• Were your experiences different from others? In this, you will highlight the fact whether your experience was different from others or not.

Stage 3: Now what

The third stage of this reflection is “ Now what ?” where an action plan for dealing with the same situations in the future is developed. This stage includes the impact of an event on individuals and self-awareness about how and why individuals acted in a certain way. The few questions which can be answered at this stage include-

• What was the impact of the event on you? In this, before creating an action plan, you have to focus on the impact of the event on you.
• What improvements can be made to alter the outcome? While answering this, you will highlight the ways in which you can improve and make the outcome better for future situations.
• What actions can be taken next time while dealing with the same situation? In this, you will list out one or two actions that you will take if the future situations occur again.
• What information will be needed to deal with the same situation? In this, you will answer what information which can be theoretical or practical is needed in order to react or attain the SMART nursing goals for similar situations in the future.
• How can you improve your performance in a similar situation next time? Lastly, you will highlight the ways in which you will improve your performance for a similar situation in the future.

Since Driscoll's model of reflection helps to properly investigate the situation, this model is mainly used in a health care setting by nurses to provide a reflection on their experience or medical situation and to identify actions that can be taken for self-improvement and to improve the quality of care in the future. So, let us take an example of a nursing situation to apply Driscoll's model of reflection.

Driscoll’s model of reflection example

Case assessment - This reflective example will highlight the experience of a nurse working in a surgical ward conducting surgery to remove the appendix. This reflective example will focus on the nurse's experience and challenges she faced while engaging in appendectomy.

Whilst being in a surgical ward, I was required to engage in an appendectomy which is emergency surgery to remove the appendix. During this situation, I found that I cannot perform laparoscopic surgery due to the severity of appendicitis in a patient. Thus, I informed the patient that an open appendectomy will be performed and got informed consent. Thus, I made one incision on the lower right side of the abdomen of a patient and then removed the appendix. However, after surgery, it was noticed that a patient developed hepatitis B. My senior doctor then contacted me and informed me that there are very few causes of Hepatitis B, which include sharing of needles, at the time of birth and sexual contact. Besides, the main cause for the occurrence of Hepatitis B, in this case, is the use of some infected tool or equipment during surgery. There is a major possibility that these occult infections are often caused by HBV mutants that have been proposed (Liang, 2009). I was very shocked after hearing this and then recalled a whole situation where I identified that I didn’t follow all steps needed to prevent the spread of blood-borne infections. A senior doctor then guided me about procedures for preventing healthcare-associated infections and also asked me to study patient safety guidelines.

At the beginning of the appendectomy of a patient, I was bit confused about the procedure of giving anesthesia. However, I was able to successfully give all injections and medicines which helped me to develop confidence and perform this surgery but when I found that a patient developed hepatitis B due to some little mistake in surgery, I felt very guilty and sad. I also feel very sad when I recall the same situation. I believe that I was required to treat a patient for an appendix but ended up developing some other health problems. After facing this situation, my senior doctor also felt very ashamed as he was not able to completely guide me and prevent such issues. The most negative aspect of the situation was that I disappointed my seniors and was not able to perform well. However, one thing that I felt was good about the situation was that I got to learn something new that will definitely help me in the future. However, one thing that I felt was good about the situation was that I got to learn something new that will definitely help me in the future. Now, I have learned that healthcare-associated infections are one serious problem that can be prevented by following various healthcare safety practices and principles. I also found that evidence-based care practices can be followed to prevent various mistakes in health care.

The occurrence of this event had a major impact on me that I was not able to perform well. However, it also made me more determined to learn more and more about nursing practice and become a better version of myself. After facing this situation, I found that I need to be more prepared to engage in various healthcare situations to prevent various healthcare risks. I believe that I can follow various nursing codes such as the NMC code of nursing which includes four principles i.e. prioritizing people’s safety, practicing effectively, preserving patient safety, and promoting professionalism and trust to promote quality of healthcare. Along with this, I found that I also need to learn about various infection control practices before undertaking any further surgeries to prevent healthcare-associated infections from taking place. Moreover, I will engage in future surgeries only by following standardized procedures for surgeries and health care management.

Previous Model

Gladd, J. (2020) John Driscoll's "what?" Cycle of reflection, Write What Matters. MSL Academic Endeavors. Available at: https://idaho.pressbooks.pub/write/chapter/john-driscolls-what-cycle-of-reflection/ (Accessed: November 23, 2022).

Liang, T. (2009). Hepatitis B: The virus and disease. Hepatology, 49(S5), S13-S21. doi: 10.1002/hep.22881

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Nursing Reflective Essay using Driscoll’s Model

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Reflection essay on vital signs using Driscoll's model

This assignment is a reflection that I undertook during my first clinical practice, using Driscoll’s (2000) reflective model, a recognised framework to demonstrate my ability to reflect critical thought in theory to practical skills. Reflection is defined as process of explaining and expressing from one’s own experiences and helps to enables us to develop and improve our skills and knowledge towards becoming professional practitioners (Jasper, 2003).

Temperature, blood pressure, pulse rate and respiration are the vital signs that indicate the condition of someone’s ability to maintain blood flow, regulate body temperature, rate of breathing and heart-beat (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE, 2007). A small change in one vital sign can lead to detention in another vital sign. This assessment was analysed and interpreted in order to record and measure the vital signs accurately which significantly allowed practitioners to take appropriate action to meet the needs of the patient (The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), 2010).

The first stage of Driscoll’s reflective mode (Johns 1994) describes what happened.  The main purpose of this simulation is to increase student confidence and also to prepare student for real clinical setting.We were paired up where one took the blood pressure and the othertook the temperature, the respiration and the pulse rate. According to the (NMC, 2010) communication is the key element therefore I introduced myself, informed patient about the procedure and asked for patient consent to ensure that decisions are made on behalf of the service user (NMC 2010) about taking the vital signs. Hand washing is the most crucial part for the prevention of cross contamination (NICE 2005) so my colleague and Iwashed our hands using the six steps techniques (NPSA, 2009) lasting 30 seconds before and after contacting with the patient. Prior to going over patient’s health and safety, I made sure the equipment available in the ward was clean and functioning well. I found out that the battery on the tympanic thermometer was not functioning; I informed my colleague and I made sure the battery was replaced before using it. After the assessment, I forgot to interpret the recording in the NEWS chart and according to NMC (2010) good record keeping is an important component to the provision of safe and effective care. Then we pulled the curtain for privacy to ensure that Miss X received care in a dignified way that does not confound her whereothers are unable to hearher condition and to make sure she is comfortable (NMC, 2008).

This is a preview of the whole essay

Before the assessment, I was excited because I was going to use my theory skills in real clinical practice. But I was nervous and anxious as I entered in the ward because this was my first time taking the vital signs on the real patient therefore I forgot to make sure the patient in the bed was Miss X and when asked by the patient about the procedure I could not explain it to her clearly(RCN, 2007). Having experienced in this simulation I now I realised  that I  have to learn more to become aware of different practices concerning the correct procedure of taking the vital signs in future assessment. The learning gained from this assessment will impact my future practice in various areas which include communication and team work. Critical things like forgetting to document the finding result lack of information for my colleagues to carry the further procedure. Highlighting the difficulties in communication during the assessment, I failed to know what miss X was trying to say.  At the same time, looking at the positive aspect I was success in following the 6 step of hand washing correctly. At the end I noticed that my colleague was happy about simulation because she was confident about the procedure of taking the TPR. Also she had the experienced in working in the care home with various types of patients.

Ultimately, I failed to demonstrate the good understanding about measuring and recording the vital signs. I have slightly improved my understanding of vital signs by practising in clinical seminar with my colleagues. However, I have not sufficiently developed my skills in communication and it means that I need to work on my communication skills. For example, communicating with my lecturer and colleagues.  This skill will be useful to me as a learner because I am not yet confident about explaining the situation if being asked by someone and nursing is all about good communication and practice to illustrate the different condition of the patient and their family members. As a next step, I need to concentrate more on my practical skills such as practising on taking blood pressure with the correct procedures, communication skills and my confidence level in order to achieve success in my further clinical assessment.

In conclusion, looking at the some key factors now I realise how important communication is in order to understand the client needs, feelings and reactions. The concept of reflection is helpful in order to know my strength and weakness and also give me the concept to justify specialist practice in the light of further evidence-based care, accountability and practice. Also I have learnt that reflection can be used as a tool in order to turn an unpleasant experience into a positive one.

References:

Bulman, C. and Schutz, S, (2008).  Reflective practice in nursing . 4th ed. Cornwall: Blackwell publishing Ltd. Driscoll, J., (2007).  Practising clinical supervision . 2nd ed. Philadelphia: Elsevier limited.

Elliott, M and Coventry, A. (2012). Critical care: the eight vital signs of patient monitoring .  British Journal of Nursing . 21 (10), pp.621-624

NHS (June, 2003).  National Institute for Clinical Excellence . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/pdf/CG2fullguidelineinfectioncontrol.pdf. [Last Accessed 17/04/2013].

NMC (2009).  Standards for pre-registration midwifery education . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.nmc-uk.org/Documents/NMC-Publications/nmcStandardsforPre_RegistrationMidwiferyEducation.pdf. [Last Accessed 17/04/2013].

Royal College Of Nursing (December 2007). Standards for assessing, measuring and monitoring vital signs in infants, children and young people . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.rcn.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/114484/003196.pdf. [Last Accessed 17/04/2013].

Sutcliffe H, (2011). Understanding the NMC code of conduct: a student perspective .  Nursing Standard . 25 (52), pp.35-39

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• BASSETT, S.D., 2005. Journal of professional nursing. Volume 21, 46-51
• DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH., 2011. No health without mental health: a cross-government mental health outcomes strategy for people of all ages
• DRISCOLL, J. (2011) Practising Clinical Supervision: A reflective Approach for Healthcare Professionals. 2nd ed. Edinburgh: Bailliere Tindall Elsevier
• DUNHAM, KS., 2018. Communication in nursing among co-workers.
• FAMILY CAREGIVERS ALLIANCE. 2017. Making choices about everyday care.
• NICOL, J.S., & DOSSER, I. 2015. Understanding reflective practice. Nursing standard.
• SCOTLANDS NATIONAL DEMENTIA STRATEGIES. 2018. Mental health dementia.
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What? So What? Now What? Critical Reflection Model

Saul McLeod, PhD

Editor-in-Chief for Simply Psychology

BSc (Hons) Psychology, MRes, PhD, University of Manchester

Saul McLeod, PhD., is a qualified psychology teacher with over 18 years of experience in further and higher education. He has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Clinical Psychology.

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Olivia Guy-Evans, MSc

Associate Editor for Simply Psychology

BSc (Hons) Psychology, MSc Psychology of Education

Olivia Guy-Evans is a writer and associate editor for Simply Psychology. She has previously worked in healthcare and educational sectors.

The “What? So What? Now What?” model offers a practical framework for incorporating reflection into various aspects of our lives, leading to continuous learning, growth, and improved decision-making.

The “What? So What? Now What?” reflective model, originating from Terry Borton and further developed by Rolfe et al. for healthcare practice, emphasizes a cyclical progression of understanding and action.

The stages are interconnected, with each one building upon the insights gained from the previous stage.

• “What?” establishes the foundation by focusing on objective description. It prompts the individual to gather the facts and details of the experience without immediate interpretation or judgment.
• “So What?” transitions from observation to analysis. It encourages the individual to make sense of the “What?” by exploring their emotional responses, connecting the experience to prior knowledge, identifying patterns, and uncovering potential implications. This stage helps individuals move beyond merely recounting events to understanding their significance.
• “Now What?” propels reflection into action. Drawing upon the insights from the “What?” and “So What?” stages, this stage focuses on developing concrete steps for improvement, future application of learning, and personal or professional growth. It transforms reflection from a passive process of thinking to an active process of planning and doing.

The connection between these stages is crucial as it allows for a deeper level of understanding and more effective action.

By regularly reflecting on our experiences, we can identify areas for improvement and make more informed decisions in the future.

Who are the authors of the Reflective Model?

Originally developed by Terry Borton for teachers and educational settings, it gained popularity as a reflective tool in clinical healthcare settings in the 1980s. Its enduring appeal lies in its simplicity and efficacy.

Rolfe et al.’s reflective model, based on Borton’s “What? So What? Now What?” model, is a framework tailored for healthcare practitioners, particularly in nursing.

While sharing the same three-stage structure, Rolfe et al.’s adaptation emphasizes clinical practice, focusing on developing clinical judgment, communication skills, and patient-centered care.

This model is often integrated into nursing education to help students connect theory and practice.

Stage 1. What? – Describing the Experience

The “What?” stage focuses on objectively describing the experience or event. This involves detailing the facts without interpretation or judgment.

The “What” stage establishes a clear, factual account of the experience, laying the foundation for deeper analysis in the subsequent stages.

It encourages individuals or groups to slow down, step back, and articulate the concrete details of what transpired, without immediately jumping to interpretations, judgments, or emotional responses.

It’s crucial to be as comprehensive and objective as possible during this stage to ensure a solid basis for reflection.

Here’s a breakdown of the key aspects of the “What?” stage:

• Focus on Facts: The emphasis is on providing a neutral and impartial account of the event, sticking to observable and verifiable information.
• Sensory recall : Participants are encouraged to replay the event in their mind as if watching it on a movie screen, focusing on what they saw, heard, or felt.
• Objectivity Over Subjectivity: While personal experiences are acknowledged, the goal is to describe them in a way that minimizes personal biases and interpretations.
• Inclusivity : If reflecting as a group, it’s important to hear from different perspectives, as people may have noticed different things
• Setting the Stage for Deeper Analysis: The “What?” stage provides the necessary context and factual basis for the subsequent “So What?” and “Now What?” stages, which explore the meaning and implications of the experience.

Examples of questions that can guide the “What?” stage, prompting individuals to consider specific details, actions, and observations related to the experience:

• What happened? – This encourages a concise and chronological account of the events.
• What did you observe? – This prompts focus on sensory details and specific observations.
• What was your experience? – This invites reflection on personal involvement in the event.
• What worked well, and what didn’t? – This prompts an initial, surface-level assessment of successes and challenges.
• Who else was involved? – This encourages consideration of the social context and the roles of others.
• What did you do? – This focuses on specific actions taken during the experience.

By thoroughly addressing these “What?” questions and establishing a clear, factual understanding of the experience, individuals and groups can lay a strong foundation for meaningful analysis and the identification of valuable insights in the later stages of the reflection model.

Example of a “What?” Stage Reflection

Let’s imagine a scenario where a first-year nursing student is reflecting on their first experience assisting a registered nurse in providing wound care to a patient. Here’s how the student might approach the “What?” stage of reflection, focusing on objective description:

• What happened? I assisted a registered nurse in providing wound care to an elderly patient with a diabetic ulcer on their foot. We gathered the necessary supplies, including sterile gloves, saline solution, gauze, and bandages. The nurse explained each step of the procedure to me and allowed me to observe before I helped. I assisted in holding the patient’s leg steady while the nurse cleaned the wound and applied a new dressing.
• What did you observe? The wound was about two inches in diameter and had a yellowish discharge. The patient appeared to be in some discomfort, grimacing slightly when the wound was being cleaned. The nurse was very gentle and patient with the patient, explaining each step clearly and providing reassurance.
• What was your experience? I was initially nervous about participating in wound care, as I had never done anything like it before. However, the nurse made me feel more at ease by explaining the procedure thoroughly and allowing me to observe first. I was surprised by how much care and attention to detail was required.
• What worked well? The nurse’s calm and reassuring demeanor helped to put the patient at ease. I felt that my assistance in holding the patient’s leg steady was helpful in allowing the nurse to focus on the wound care.
• What didn’t work well? I felt a bit awkward and unsure of myself at times, as I was still unfamiliar with the procedure and the supplies. I think I could have benefited from reviewing the steps involved in wound care beforehand.
• Who else was involved? The registered nurse, the patient, and myself were directly involved in the wound care procedure.
• What did you do? I helped gather supplies, observed the nurse, held the patient’s leg steady, and assisted in disposing of the used materials.

This detailed, objective account of the experience provides the foundation for the student to move on to the “So What?” stage, where they can begin to analyze their feelings, reactions, and the significance of the experience.

Stage 2. So What? – Analyzing and Sense-Making

The “So What?” stage delves into analysis and sense-making. This stage encourages you to examine your feelings, thoughts, and interpretations of the experience.

The goal is to uncover insights and identify what difference the event made. This stage is where analysis, critical thinking, and sense-making take center stage.

Here’s a breakdown of what the “So What?” stage entails:

• Connecting the Dots: It involves identifying patterns, relationships, and potential causes and effects related to the experience described in the “What?” stage. Relate the experience to relevant theories, course concepts, or broader ideas
• Exploring Emotions and Reactions: It encourages individuals to examine their feelings, thoughts, and initial interpretations of the experience. Why did they react in a certain way? What assumptions or prior experiences might have influenced their perceptions?
• Evaluating impact : Assess the consequences of the event for yourself and others.
• Identifying Learning Points: The goal is to uncover insights, lessons learned, and areas for potential growth based on the experience.
• Generating Hypotheses: It can involve developing initial explanations or interpretations of why things happened the way they did, which can later be explored further.

Some guiding questions for this stage include:

• What was important about this situation?
• How did you feel when it happened?
• Did anything in particular trigger these emotions in you?
• What might have been behind your response?
• Did you learn a new skill or clarify an interest?
• Are there any implications for you personally or professionally?
• Who might you have forgotten to consider in that encounter?
• What might impact the recipient’s views or experience of the project?
• What caused this event?
• Why might have other people acted the way they did?
• Was this event part of a broader pattern?
• How does this experience connect to course concepts?
• What other insights or hypotheses could be drawn from the experience?
• What is the importance of this?
• So what more do I need to know about this?
• What are some of the most pressing needs/issues in the community? How does this project address those needs?
• What contributes to the success of projects like this? What hinders success?

By thoughtfully engaging with these “So What?” questions, individuals and groups can extract valuable lessons from their experiences, gain self-awareness, and prepare for more informed and effective actions in the “Now What?” stage.

Asking “So What?” questions can also challenge your existing mental models and promote Double Loop Learning.

The “So What?” stage is crucial for moving beyond simple description to critical analysis. It helps you extract meaning from the experience and understand its broader significance.

This deeper understanding then forms the basis for the final “Now What?” stage, where you consider future actions and applications of your insights.

Example of a “So What?” Stage Reflection

Building on the “What?” stage example of a first-year nursing student assisting with wound care, let’s explore how they might approach the “So What?” stage:

• How did you feel when it happened? I initially felt nervous and inadequate because I lacked experience. However, observing the nurse’s expertise and seeing the impact of our actions on the patient’s well-being instilled a sense of purpose and motivated me to learn more.
• What might have been behind your response? My nervousness likely stemmed from a lack of confidence and fear of making a mistake that could negatively impact the patient. Witnessing the nurse’s composure and expertise reassured me and highlighted the importance of experience in building confidence.
• Did you learn a new skill or clarify an interest? I gained practical experience in wound care, which I had only read about in textbooks. This experience also reinforced my interest in pursuing a career where I can make a tangible difference in patients’ lives.
• Who might you have forgotten to consider in that encounter? I was primarily focused on assisting the nurse and the patient. However, reflecting on the experience, I realize that I could have also considered the patient’s family members or caregivers, who might also be affected by the patient’s condition and the care being provided.
• Was this event part of a broader pattern? This experience highlighted the importance of hands-on experience in nursing education. It also illustrated the value of clear communication and a supportive learning environment in developing clinical skills and confidence.
• What is the importance of this? This experience demonstrated that nursing practice requires not only technical skills but also empathy, communication, and the ability to establish trust with patients. It also highlighted the importance of lifelong learning and continuous professional development in providing competent and compassionate care.

This analysis demonstrates how the “So What?” stage encourages the nursing student to examine their emotional responses, identify knowledge gaps, and relate their experience to broader themes in nursing practice.

This sets the stage for the “Now What?” stage, where they can develop action steps for improvement and future learning.

Stage 3. Now What? – Determining Next Steps

“Now What?” focuses on applying your analysis to determine effective next steps. This involves identifying what you can take away from the experience and how you can use those insights in the future.

It focuses on translating insights and learning from the “What?” and “So What?” stages into concrete plans and actions.

This stage also promotes continuous learning and growth by encouraging individuals to:

• Applying Lessons Learned: It encourages individuals to consider how they can use their newfound understanding to make changes in their thinking, behavior, or approach to similar situations. Consider how to share insights or lessons learned with others.
• Identify Knowledge gaps : Recognize areas where further learning or skill development is needed.
• Developing Actionable Strategies: The goal is to create specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals and plans to address the identified learning needs or areas for improvement.
• Experimentation and Testing: It might involve designing small experiments or tests to try out new approaches or validate hypotheses that emerged during the reflection process.
• Continual Improvement: The “Now What?” stage emphasizes that reflection and learning are ongoing processes, and it encourages a cycle of planning, action, observation, and further reflection.
• What would you do differently if a similar situation arose?
• What follow-up is needed to address any challenges or difficulties?
• How might you prevent negative outcomes or problems in a similar situation?
• What do you need to gain more competence [in], and how will you make this happen?
• What specific steps you need to take to address this identified deficiency?
• What lessons can you take forward in similar and other contexts?
• How might you better prepare and resource yourself for a similar situation?
• What information can you share with your peers or community volunteers?
• If you were in charge of the project, what would you do to improve it?
• How will it affect your future as a pharmacist/midwife, etc.?
• This process requires reflection on practice, assessing and identifying learning needs and available opportunities, developing and implementing a personal learning plan, and evaluating the outcomes.

By thoroughly exploring these “Now What?” questions and formulating actionable steps, individuals and groups can transform reflection into meaningful change and continuous growth.

They can then apply these insights to similar experiences in the future, ultimately leading to improved decision-making, skill development, and personal and professional effectiveness.

Example of a “Now What?” Stage Reflection

Scenario: A nursing student encounters resistance from a patient while attempting to administer medication. The patient, anxious and in pain, refuses the medication, stating it doesn’t work. The student, feeling flustered, seeks assistance from a senior nurse who skillfully calms the patient and successfully administers the medication.

• Identify Knowledge and Skill Gaps: The student acknowledges that their initial approach lacked the empathy and communication skills needed to effectively de-escalate the situation. They recognize the senior nurse’s expertise in building rapport, active listening, and clear explanation, leading to a positive outcome.
• Seeking further training: Enrolling in workshops or courses on therapeutic communication or conflict resolution techniques.
• Shadowing experienced nurses: Observing how they interact with resistant or anxious patients, paying close attention to their verbal and non-verbal communication strategies.
• Role-playing scenarios: Practicing communication techniques with peers or instructors in a safe environment, seeking feedback to refine their approach.
• Reviewing relevant literature: Consulting nursing textbooks or journals for evidence-based strategies for managing challenging patient interactions.
• Anticipating potential challenges: Proactively considering potential barriers to care, particularly with patients exhibiting anxiety or pain.
• Employing active listening: Focusing on understanding the patient’s perspective, validating their concerns, and addressing their fears before proceeding with medication administration.
• Explaining procedures clearly: Using clear, concise language to explain the medication’s purpose, potential side effects, and expected benefits.
• Seeking support when needed: Recognizing that it’s okay to ask for assistance from colleagues, particularly in challenging situations.

By working through the “Now What?” stage, the nursing student transitions from simply reflecting on the experience to actively shaping their future practice.

This stage highlights the importance of continuous learning, self-improvement, and a commitment to providing compassionate, patient-centered care.

Comparing Rolfe et al.’s Reflective Model and Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle

While both Rolfe et al.’s model, adapted from Borton’s “What? So What? Now What?” framework, and Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle are popular reflective models, they differ in their structure and emphasis.

Understanding these differences can help you choose the most appropriate model for your reflective needs.

Structural Differences:

• Linear vs. Cyclical: Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle follows a more structured, cyclical format, guiding the reflector through six distinct stages: Description, Feelings, Evaluation, Analysis, Conclusion, and Action Plan. This cyclical structure emphasizes the iterative nature of reflection, encouraging repeated cycles of reflection and action. In contrast, Rolfe et al.’s model, while inherently encouraging ongoing reflection, presents a more linear, three-stage process.
• Number of Stages: The six stages of Gibbs’ Cycle allow for a more comprehensive and in-depth exploration of the experience. Each stage prompts the reflector to consider different facets of the situation, fostering a holistic understanding. Rolfe et al.’s three-stage model, while concise, might not provide the same level of detailed guidance.

Emphasis and Focus:

• Emotional Exploration: Gibbs’ Cycle explicitly includes a stage dedicated to exploring “Feelings.” This encourages individuals to acknowledge and process their emotions related to the experience, which can be crucial for personal growth and self-awareness, particularly in emotionally charged professions like healthcare. Rolfe et al.’s model, while not explicitly excluding emotions, places less direct emphasis on their exploration.
• Evaluation and Learning: Gibbs’ Cycle incorporates dedicated stages for “Evaluation” and “Conclusion,” promoting critical analysis of the experience’s successes, challenges, and potential areas for improvement. This structured approach can lead to more concrete learning points and action plans. While Rolfe et al.’s model encourages analysis and action planning, it doesn’t delineate these steps as distinct stages.

Application in Nursing and Healthcare:

• Rolfe et al.’s Model in Nursing Education: Rolfe et al.’s model is frequently integrated into nursing curricula. Its emphasis on connecting theory and practice, developing clinical judgment, and fostering patient-centered care aligns well with the goals of nursing education.
• Gibbs’ Cycle in Healthcare Practice: Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle, with its focus on detailed description, emotional processing, and structured analysis, can be particularly beneficial for healthcare practitioners reflecting on complex or challenging clinical encounters.

Choosing the Right Model:

The choice between these models depends on the specific context and the reflector’s goals.

• Reflecting on complex experiences.
• Individuals seeking a deeper understanding of their emotional responses.
• Situations requiring detailed analysis and evaluation.
• Quick reflections on everyday experiences.
• Individuals seeking a straightforward framework to guide their learning.
• Promoting rapid integration of theory and practice, as often seen in nursing education.

Ultimately, the most effective reflective model is the one that best suits the individual’s learning style and the specific demands of the situation.

Borton, T. (1970). Reach touch and teach: Student concerns and process education. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Gibbs, G. (1988). Learning by doing: A guide to teaching and learning methods.  Further Education Unit .

Rolfe, G. (2014). Big ideas: Reach touch and teach: Terry Borton. Nurse Education Today, 34 (488-489).

Rolfe, G., Freshwater, D., & Jasper, M. (2001). Critical Reflection for Nursing and the Helping Professions: A user’s guide . London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Rolfe, G., & Jasper, M. (1993). Some strategies for curriculum development in nurse education.  Journal of further and higher education ,  17 (3), 105-111.