Personal Journeys: Reflections in Healthcare Practice

What? While on placement in a residential care setting, I encountered a situation where a resident with early-stage Parkinson’s wanted to self-administer their morning medication. He had done this independently for years at home and viewed the enforced administration routine in the home as “infantilising.” However, the facility policy required all medication to be administered by staff. The resident was visibly upset, and I witnessed rising tension between him and the carer.

What? During a recent placement in a residential care setting, I was tasked with observing a resident who had recently been discharged from hospital after a urinary tract infection. Although the nurse in charge noted their vital signs were within normal range, I observed subtle signs — like slowed responses, slightly unsteady walking, and confusion about time — that suggested possible lingering effects of delirium. I raised my concerns with the nurse, but initially, they were

https://www.simplypsychology.org/gibbs-reflective-cycle.html Introduction As I begin my journey into professional practice, reflection has emerged as a vital tool for growth. This entry draws upon Gibbs' Reflective Cycle (1988) to examine a situation from my placement in a care home, where poor communication during a handover affected patient safety. Reflecting on this moment helped me understand not just the problem, but how I think and act under pressure — and how I must im