Gibb's Model of Reflection - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages This model can be contrasted to Rolfe’s reflective model which seeks to have three questions: what, so what and now what, answered. Although Rolfe’s model seems to be more structured than Gibb’s, it is shallower. I chose Gibb’s model over Rolfe’s because it is more comprehensive and offers one the chance to examine the best actions to undertake if and when faced with a similar situation. The first step in Gibb’s model is a description of events. What follows here is a description of events. During my clinical practice I was working in a hospital ward designated for the elderly, I admitted a patient who was unconscious. This particular patient was an 81-year old married woman who had had a cerebro -vascular accident, (CVA) a few years prior to the day of admission. The patient could breathe independently though with difficulty. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner indicated that the woman was suffering from brain cancer and the cancer had already covered a large part of the brain. The patient’s husband did not have full comprehension of his wife’s health at that particular moment, and he could not easily accept the doctor’s observation that she had a terminal illness. The doctors did not divulge information regarding the patient’s chances of living. The second stage of Gibbs model of reflection is self awareness in terms of feelings and thoughts. My first thoughts about the even were based on the fact that the patient needed immediate medical attention, but she was incapacitated to make any medical decisions for herself. Not only had she lost physical control of her body, she was not in any position to make clear decisions. The patient could not speak hence she could not make a decision concerning her treatment; neither did she understand the potential risks associated as she was unconscious. When the staff nurse reported to the husband the severity of his wife’s illness, he did not want to accept the fact that his wife might die at any time. I felt that the medical practitioners should have considered the patient’s husband’s position before making any medical decisions for the patient. For the most part, I empathized with the patient and thought how sad I would feel if I had the same illness and not be able to contribute to my own treatment. Empathy can be described as the ability of being able to relate to what another person is feeling or going through (Randall and Downie, 2010). I felt relieved by the presence of a qualified nurse who could assist in the personal care of the patient. However, I kept wondering if Mrs. Smith would have approved of the doctors’ and nurses’ actions were she able to make her own decisions. Stage three of Gibbs model is the evaluation stage, in which judgement is made based on the events that occurred. In my evaluation, the patient received very good treatment, medically. The patient was treated with respect, dignity and the best possible care; however, her nearest relative was not treated with as much concern. The husband of the patient was not fully aware of his wife’s condition, and he did not understand the serious state of his wife’s illness. When he was told of her condition, he did not seem to want to accept the fact that she was seriously ill, and it was for this reason that the doctors kept him in the dark regarding her chances of living. I agreed with the doctor’s decision to keep the husband not fully informed of his wife’ ...Download file to see next pagesRead More