Reflective Practice on Skill and Competencies - Coursework Example

Reflection on Skill and Competences Reflection on Skill and Competences Introduction Reflective practice is increasingly becoming acrucial aspect of the evidence in relation to the continued professional development, in respect to its emphasized necessity in the validation and appraisal process for doctors and health care promotion process. With the popularity of the reflective process, it is vital for the health care practitioners to have an understanding of the process to reap its related benefits. Additionally, it is important to gain an understanding of the reflective process to facilitate and maximally utilize the skills that we possess. A reflective model is just a simple but a memorable mnemonic that guides individuals throughout the reflective process. It bolsters the understanding of the steps encapsulated for an effective reflective practice (Davies, 2012, p.9). Davis notes that reflective practice is an important conception in reviewing and improving one’s practices. In addition, the health care practitioners can become self-directed and effective learners through a method. The health care profession requires the practitioners to take their responsibilities in updating the knowledge base and maintain their professional standards. Hence, partaking in reflection identifies one’s weaknesses, strengths, and distinctive learning needs. Further, the situation accentuates the professional competencies and boosts the learning process. Thus, it is of profound importance to ensure the integration of the reflective capacities into the health care practitioners to bolster their professional development. Schenk and Cruickshank (2015, p.74) argue that learning involves a process where there is a creation of knowledge via experience transformation, resulting from a combination of transforming and grasping the experience. They note that, a primary tenet of KELT encompasses reflective observation, active experimentation, concrete experience, and abstract conceptualization. However, the experiential educators, business managers and computer programmers broadly embrace KELT. Moreover, experts reject Kolb’s KELT theory arguing that the human beings have not yet evolved to the biological secondary knowledge that receive considerable emphasis in the educational institutions (Schenck & Cruickshank, 2015, p.73). Further, in the attempt to develop a critical approach to student learning, Quinton & Smallbone (2010, p.126) note that students must take part in a deep as opposed to a surface learning. Essentially, there must exist active learning using self-appropriation concerning knowledge other than a mere passive absorption of information. Contextually, it incorporates acquiring of ideas and information from lectures, reading, and having experience such as conference activities. Thus, there is a need for a reflective opportunity on the meaning of experiences and information. However, owing to the part-time jobs, timetabling, and pressurized modular degrees, students may experience little time to have reflections on the feedback about their work. The Gibbs model of reflection postulates a series of steps that aids the process of reflection. The steps outlined in Gibbs model of reflection entail description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion, and action planning. Quinton & Smallbone (2010, p.127) assert that written reflections are powerful than oral the discussions and allows permanent records meant for later references. Regarding the model, Quinton & Smallbone emphasize that enough feedback enhances self-assessment developments in learning and indicates the crucial things to focus. My skills, competencies and learning needs as a health promotion practitioner On the contemporary era, health care has foci on high-quality and preventive care. Realizing this situation will help the populations to ensure productive lifestyles, delay or limit chronic diseases, and lower the cost of accessing health care. A physician shortage observed in the health care sector enhances the necessary expansion and acquiring of vast skills required for the medical practitioners to execute their duties effectively (Barr, Houston-Miller, Hasan, & Makinson, 2013, p. 362). To ensure the health of individuals that we as health care professionals need to serve, I have managed to amass vast skills that guide me through the execution of my health care responsibilities. It is eminent that my diverse skills in community development allow a free interaction and participation with the populations. The situation facilitates free information sharing among the people to heighten their perspectives on the health issues. For instance, I can successfully create awareness on the emerging health problems within the communities and enhance the social connections for those isolated and having ill health. In the light of health education, I have developed professional skills relating to specific topics in health, both on a community and individual settings. Precisely, my health education skills focus on the plethora of the women’s health issues including the youth health, contraception use, sexuality, and cervical screening. Additionally, sexual health, mental health, menopause, and violence against women are no exception. Evidentially, my clinical service skills encompass the early detection and offering treatment to geographically isolated persons through outreach services. In collaboration with the government, the general practitioners, and the NGOs, the health care promotion is a success to reach many individuals to better their lives (Elmer & Stirling, 2015, p.47). In addition, I possess excellent research and evaluation skills that ensure a continued improvement in quality and providing evidence-based practice. It is critical to acknowledge my skills in the assessments of the community needs that are the integral section in providing women’s health. These receive demonstrations when determining sites to carry out outreaches and the research projects to identify the correct models of health care (Wheeler, Fowler, & Hattingh, 2013, p.259). In order to offer better and continued health care to the increasing numbers of patients, I identified some needs that require further development. For example, efficient use of technology, the capacity to adapt to the changing nature of diseases, and the ability to identify and diagnose re-emerging diseases. The competency to plan and evaluate the health promotion interventions The main objectives of planning are to make available a written plan that captures all that requires an execution. In addition, the plan helps in setting objectives, identifying the challenges faced during the implementation process, and the strategies for the implementation of the interventions (Buliung, Faulkner, Beesley, & Kennedy, 2011, p.706). On the other hand, monitoring and evaluation of such programmes are necessary to measure and assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the set goals and objectives. Evaluation remains entirely carried out throughout the programme from its instigation to the scale-up process. Assessment involves various types such as formative, impact, process, and outcome (Lobo, Petrich, & Burns, 2014, p.1392). Contextually, in the needs assessment under the planning process, I established a planning group with which we assessed the capacities, conducted the assessments, and set the programme outcomes and goals. During the setting of the programme goals and objectives, my ability to specify performance and align the objectives, and create the matrices that relate to the objectives came in handy. Through the vast experience gained from placements and internships, I harnessed and put into practice the knowledge of developing SMART objectives. These objectives would give the organization a leeway to meet its projected performance. In relation to the theory-based methodologies and practical applications, I could lead the planning group in the review of the programme ideas, identification of the theoretical methods, and in choosing the possible methods. Moreover, I helped in the design of practical applications and ensured in the address regarding the change of objectives. During the development of the actual intervention, my capacity to network aided me in consulting with a diverse base of implementers and participants. Under my realm, we managed to create vast programme themes, the scope, and materials required for its implementation. In this context as a team, we developed the design and protocol of the intervention, drafted and pre-tested the programme material using the participants in the target. It was an easy task to identify the users and adopters of the health project, specify the adoption process, and in the aligning of the performance and implementation of the project goals. Regarding the diversity of participants, I tailored a matrix in relation to change objectives, selected practical applications and methods and designed the interventions for implementation and adoption. My evaluation skills at the end of the intervention proved helpful as the organization achieved its set objectives and goals. For instance, my competence in the usage of formative, impact, process, and outcome types of evaluations brought a significant implication on the achievement of the set goals and objectives. The role as a change agent A fundamental reality is that in the global context, change is inevitable. Consequently, there exists array of forces and factors that contribute to its shape (Buono & Subbiah, 2014, p.36). Buono & Subbiah add that the dynamic capability to redefine and change the health care organizations underlies the capacity to respond to the novel opportunities both accurately and nimbly ensuring satisfaction of the stakeholders. Godwin & Heymann (2015, p. 34) ascertain that the future of public health requires an implementation of programmes and public policies on a large-scale basis to bring about the health benefits. Due to the changing nature of the diseases that affect the populations on a daily basis, it was vital to indulge in the practice of social change. Social change in this context helps to educate the people on how to avoid outbreaks of diseases such as cholera, dysentery, and typhoid. As an inseparable role of a change agent and despite the resistance faced, I succeeded in the carrying out of outreaches throughout the schools, churches, and the community. I feel that, it is vital for the shareholders to augment the efficient and strategic change methodologies to avoid resistance from the communities. The situation will facilitate the incorporation of all stakeholders including the members of the society to curb the resistance observed. In return, the circumstances will heighten the assimilation of the health care projects, hence, fostering better health among the individual community members. Leadership, management, and partnership skills and competencies needed for health promotion practitioners. It is paramount to realize and describe the priorities and missions related to the sector of public health in an organization, apply and put them into practice as a health care provider (El Amouri & ONeill, 2014, p.138). Mostly, programme leaders and managers should illustrate how project logic models incorporate the mission of the organization into the project’s specific outcomes and goals. Principally, the supervisors need to apply the organization’s priorities to the work plan of the interdisciplinary team (Beausaert, Segers, & Gijselaers, 2011, p.529). In this context, I achieved the capacity to integrate the organization’s vision, mission, and objectives. The situation was an achievement due to several volunteer positions that I offered to partake in both the leadership and managerial roles during the varied university placements. Further, the incorporation of the values in the planning and the implementation of the public health programmes and policies was a success in the community. Despite this success, challenges of transparency and accountability still affect the organizations negatively. Therefore, it is the obligation of the managers and the leaders to ensure the incorporation of the ethical standards within the organization (Blacksher et al., 2015, p486). Factoring these standards into the organization’s vision and missions will enable a realization of a high performance (Wainwright, Paterson & Simpson, 2012, p. 287). Pertinent to the partnership roles, it was evident that drawing from a broad base of participants leads to a slow decision-making process but a sustainable outcome. Due to the inclusion of numerous shareholders, there was an achievement of the set goals in the organization. Therefore, it is crucial to involve more stakeholders that have a common purpose to achieve. A focus of the participants to the set objectives should be a point of emphasis to align them towards the organizational performance. Conclusion With reflective thinking, individuals can develop higher thinking skills. The conception prompts the learners to relate and apply their knowledge to the situations of prior understanding. In addition, it helps the individuals to think in conceptual and abstract terms in relation to the theories and experiences acquired (North & Park, 2014, p.14). Further, the professionals apply specific novel strategies and tasks underlying the particular professions. Moreover, they are in the position to understand own learning and thinking strategies. Hence, it is better to integrate the process of reflection into the people’s professional activities to guide them throughout their careers. Action plan Intended objective Strategies Timeframe Learn how to utilize Information Technology in relation to health care To attend seminars that teach about the use Information Technology in health care Attend basic computer classes To have technologically tailored gadgets that help in the collection, analysis and dissemination of health care data To attend the seminars with the 1-2 years Finish the computer lessons alongside the seminars To purchase a computer in the third quarter after learning how to use it. To adapt to the changing nature of diseases To work in diverse areas related to re-emerging diseases Realizing this situation will take a maximum of 7 years To acquire the ability to identify and diagnose re-emerging diseases Learn from the colleagues at work Attend the CMEs In the next 1 year A continuous process after throughout the working profession To learn on how to identify unethical behaviours within organizations Study the methods used by the ethical officers Try to identify organizational unethical issues In the next 2 years To find out the means of avoiding resistance from the communities Learn the types of resistance exhibited by the communities After 6 years Bibliography Barr, G, Houston-Miller, N, Hasan, I, & Makinson, G., 2013, Nurse practitioners, wake up and smell the smoke, Journal Of The American Association Of Nurse Practitioners, 25, 7, pp. 362-367, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 16 May 2015. 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Wheeler, A, Fowler, J, & Hattingh, L., 2013, Using an Intervention Mapping Framework to Develop an Online Mental Health Continuing Education Program for Pharmacy Staff, Journal Of Continuing Education In The Health Professions, 33, 4, pp. 258-266, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 17 May 2015. Read More