Logo for Idaho Pressbooks Consortium

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

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.

Share This Book

Smart Nurse

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.

Order a similar assignment, and have writers from our team of experts write it for you, guaranteeing you an A

  • LDR 630 Week 2 Non-profit Servant Leader Profile

Order Solution Now

Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer.

To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to  upgrade your browser .

Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link.

  • We're Hiring!
  • Help Center

paper cover thumbnail

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

Profile image of Edwin M O K U A Nyamongo

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.

Related Papers

Nursing Standard

reflective essay examples using driscoll model

Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences

Journal of Clinical Nursing

Anthony Tuckett , Annette Huntington , Jean Gilmour

To explore nurses' perceptions of the reality of practice based on data from the Nurses and Midwives e-cohort Study which examined the workforce characteristics, work-life balance and health of nurses. Recruitment and retention of the nursing workforce is of international concern as demands increase due to demographic changes, political pressure and community expectations, in a climate of economic constraint. Qualitative analysis of data from a cohort of Australian, New Zealand and UK nurses. Of the 7604 participants in the electronic cohort, 1909 provided qualitative comments of which 162 related to nursing practice; thematic analysis resulted in four high order themes. The analytical discussion is structured around 'care' as the organising construct. Four themes emerged: 'embodied care' which discusses the impact of work on the nurse's physical and emotional health; 'quantity/quality care' which addresses increasing pressures of work and ability to provide quality care; 'organisational (non)care' raising the seeming lack of support from management; and '(un)collegial/self care' where bullying and professional relationships were raised. Issues raised by participants have been discussed in the nursing literature for several years yet nurses still experience these negative aspects of nursing. It appears there is a significant gap between what is known about the practice environment, recommendations for change and change occurring: the management equivalent of the theory-practice gap, resulting in nurses intending to leave the profession. Research demonstrates that a well-qualified, stable nursing workforce improves quality of health care and health outcomes. Changing the work environment and fostering a positive workplace culture seems fundamental to supporting the retention of nurses, that this is not occurring in some areas in the current climate is a concern for the profession and those responsible for the provision of care.

kelvin M Mutegi

Aseel Alwahidi

sasha pinky2323

Wiley-Blackwell eBooks

Georgina Koubel

Oyetoro Adeyemi

International Journal of Qualitative Methods

Mette Kjerholt

Research networks have significant value and are essential for conducting high-quality applied health research. In this article, we describe the establishment, content, and contribution of a Danish national qualitative interpretive description (ID) network. There are only a few examples of clinical research networks and in most qualitative research methodology is not highly prioritized. Still, a number of nurses and allied health professionals work with qualitative methods and applied health research. This may call for different kinds of networks depending on the geographical context, management support, background, and goal of the network. In this article, we share our knowledge of different kinds of networks and in particular our experiences with an ID knowledge-creating network. The network has provided us with results in the form of stimulating professional conversations and discussions. It has also strengthened the methodological depth of our research and the epistemological st...

Acta Scientiarum. Health Sciences

Priscilla Valladares Broca

The objective of this study is to propose an action plan for the communication process in the nursing team. The theoretical references were: the model of a communication process proposed by Berlo and essential concepts of King´s Theory. It is a qualitative, convergent-care research. The data production technique was the semi-structured interview with 25 nurses of a public hospital. Data used the thematic content analysis technique. The elements of the communication team are: perception, self, space, time, stress, role, authority, power, status, audience, empathy and nonverbal communication. The plan proposes a dynamic, flexible, interactive and relational communication process, in order to contribute to the professional qualification and make new practices of care viable. It was concluded that its elements do not have a fixed and stable position, but throughout the process they are used according to the needs of each party.

RELATED PAPERS

Dilip Gautam

Revista Brasileira De Agroecologia

evandro fornari

Uttam K. Bhui

ANA NJEGOVAN

Benjamin Canals

Tetsuya Michinaka

IEEE Transactions on Cognitive Communications and Networking

Physical Review Letters

Joaquim Chamorro

Ciencias Administrativas. Teoría y Praxis

Louis Valentin Mballa

Sawarni Hasibuan

Gülenay Nagihan Kılıç

Jérôme Wittwer

Pediatric Obesity

Dénes Molnár

Istvan Monok

Orlando Gama

Kriterion: Revista de Filosofia

Desiderio Parrilla Martínez

Tidsskrift for forskning i sygdom og samfund

Hanne Bess Boelsbjerg

FEMS Microbiology Ecology

Robert Duran

Virus Research

Carlo De Giuli Morghen

Robert Maciorowski

Bali Health Published Journal

Helda Rahma

Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

Michael Vieth

See More Documents Like This

RELATED TOPICS

  •   We're Hiring!
  •   Help Center
  • Find new research papers in:
  • Health Sciences
  • Earth Sciences
  • Cognitive Science
  • Mathematics
  • Computer Science
  • Academia ©2024

CrowJack

  • Calculators
  • Swot Analysis
  • Pestle Analysis
  • Five Forces Analysis
  • Organizational Structure
  • Copywriting
  • Research Topics
  • Student Resources

CrowJack

Services We Provide

proof-reading

Resources We Provide

blog

Login / Register

login

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

Jessica Robinson - Image

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.

3 stages of Driscoll’s model of reflection

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

Facebook

Copyright © 2023 CrowJack. All Rights Reserved

Introduction to Reflection

There are many ways to produce reflection in writing. Try using these examples to kick-start your reflective writing.

Open each drop-down to see a different reflective writing example and exercise. 

The Six Minute Write (Bolton, 2014)

If you are being asked to write reflectively you may feel that you do not know where to begin. Bolton’s Six Minute Writing exercise is a useful way to help get you started.

Peter has just started a course to train to be a counsellor and his tutor is asking every student to reflect on their learning and the development of their interpersonal skills. Peter is unsure where to start as reflective writing is a new thing for him, so he decides to try the Six Minute Write.

“Well, I’ve never written anything like this before! When I wrote at school I was always told to be really careful – make sure your spelling and grammar are correct, don’t use abbreviations, make it sound formal. This feels quite liberating! But, is it any good? The tutor says ‘Just write what’s in your head’ so here goes.

Today we did our first role play exercises and how scary was that? I always knew that the course would involve this and I do enjoy talking with people, but trying out listening skills and asking open questions is all really difficult. I felt so nervous and forgot what to do. The people I was working with seemed so much better than me – I know I’ve got so much to learn it’s frightening. Will I ever be able to do this? I really don’t know, but I do know I’m going to try.”

Use Bolton’s (2014, p. 136) Six Minute Write exercise to begin any writing exercise, whether academic or reflective, personal or formal.

Here are Bolton’s pointers:

  • Write for six minutes without stopping.
  • Write whatever comes to mind and let your writing flow freely.
  • Keep writing and do not pause to think too much about what you are writing.
  • Do not pause to analyse what you have written, otherwise you will be tempted to write what you think you should write rather than what you want to write.
  • Keep writing even if it does not make much sense to you.
  • Do not worry about spelling, punctuation, grammar or jargon.
  • Allow yourself to write anything.
  • This is your writing and whatever you write is correct because it is yours. Remember, no-one else needs to read what you have written.
  • Stop after six minutes and look at how much you have been able to write.

If we pay attention to how we think, we’ll soon notice that we are often in conversation with ourselves.

We have a kind of internal dialogue as we go about our day, making decisions (“The red top or the blue one?”) observing the world (“Beautiful day. But chilly. Where did I put my gloves?”) and maintaining self-awareness (“Oh goodness, she’s heading this way. You’re nervous? Interesting. Calm down. Be polite.”).

Reflective writing can take the shape of dialogue and be structured as a conversation with different aspects of yourself. We all have multiple identities (child, parent, student, employee, friend etc.) and each aspect of ourselves can take a different perspective on a situation.

Dialogic reflection harnesses these multiple perspectives to explore and inquire about ourselves in a certain situation, often when the purpose or outcome is unknown.

So now they’re encouraging us to try different types of reflective writing. I like the idea of this dialogical writing thing – feels like having a conversation with myself, so I think I’ll have a go. Not sure how it will pan out but I’m going to imagine talking with my organised self (OS) and my critical self (CS) and see how it goes.

OS – so doing really well at the moment, feeling pretty much on track with things and definitely on top.

CS – so how long do you think that will last? I know what you’re like! You always do this – think things are ok, sit back, relax and then get behind.

OS – do I? Umm… suppose you might be right…

CS – what do you mean, might be right?

OS – ok, you are right!

CS – and we know where this ends up, don’t we? Panic mode!

OS – and I need to avoid that. So, let’s think about what I can do. Look at the coming week and month and start planning!

Focus on an issue or concern that you have relating to your studies or practice. Imagine you are having a conversation with a friend about the issue because you want to get their perspective. Write a dialogue with “them” that explores your concerns. Raise any questions you’d like answered.

If need be, write another dialogue on the same issue with another “friend” to explore another perspective.

Once you’ve finished, re-read your conversation. Did your “friend” offer any new perspectives on the issue that hadn’t occurred to you before you began writing? Are any of these worth reflecting on further?

Driscoll (2007) What?, So what?, Now what?

Driscoll’s (2007) ‘What?’ model is a straightforward reflective cycle of 3 parts. Evolved from Borton’s (1970) Developmental Framework, it has 3 stages that ask us to consider What?, So what?, and Now what?

Step 1 – What? – involves writing a description of an event or an experience.

Step 2 – So what? – here we reflect on the event or experience and start to analyse selected aspects of it, considering why they were important and how they impacted the whole.

Step 3 – Now what? – a range of proposed action points are devised following the experience, focusing on what has been learned.

Dan is training to be a nurse in elderly care and wants to reflect on the experiences he is gaining on his placement. Dan decides to use the questions in Driscoll’s model to help him to begin to analyse what he is learning.

Step 1 – What?

Today I was observing an experienced community nurse change a dressing on a man’s leg that is badly infected. The man was nervous and became very distressed – he has had dressings replaced regularly and knows that the process is very painful. I felt awful about causing him more pain. The community nurse seemed very calm and spoke to him in a reassuring way. She asked him if he would like some pain relief and he said yes. She sat with him for ten minutes to make sure that the pain relief was working and spoke with him about his grandson’s visit that he was looking forward to at the weekend. This definitely seemed to put him at ease.

Step 2 – So what?

She made it all look so easy. How would I cope if I had to do this? As a nurse I am meant to relieve pain not cause it. She focused on the patient while I focused on myself.

Step 3 – Now what?

I learned a lot from the community nurse. She was very caring but firm. She knew the man’s dressing needed to be changed but did everything in a very calm and kind way. She distracted him and helped him to relax. These are all strategies that I can try in the future if I have to do this. Nursing isn’t only about my clinical skills; my interpersonal skills are vital, as is compassion and understanding for my patients.

Driscoll has formulated some useful questions to help us to use the model effectively, including:

Step 1 – What? – how did I react and what did others do who were involved?

Step 2 – So what? – do I feel troubled in any way, and if so, how?

Step 3 – Now what? – how can I change my approach if I face a similar situation again and what are my main learning points? What different options are there for me?

Write some notes about an experience you have had recently where you feel you have learned a lot. Can you use the stages of Driscoll’s cycle to develop this into a short reflection?

Note: Driscoll’s model is useful when you are new to professional practice and it seems like there is so much to learn. In particular, the question ‘Do I feel troubled in any way?’ is useful as our feelings can act as a prompt to deeper thinking. However, after a while you may find that you want to explore at a more complex level and move on to other approaches. It’s important to allow space for your reflective skills to develop in the same way as your professional skills.

Some small scale reflective questions :

  • What were 3 things that went well today/this week? How do you know?
  • What was a situation today/this week where I could have done better? How?
  • What was your biggest challenge today/this week? How did you overcome it?
  • What was the predominant feeling you had today/this week? Why?
  • What made you happy/sad/frustrated/angry/etc today/this week? Can you find some way of having more or less of the identified aspects?

Some larger scale reflective questions :

  • Am I optimising my time, energy and performance according to my values, goals and objectives?
  • Am I making the most of opportunities available to me? Am I working effectively within any fixed restrictions? Where there are barriers, am I identifying them and tackling or circumventing them where possible?
  • Do my values, goals and objectives still align with each other? Is this reflected in how I am spending my time?
  • Are my goals still the right ones to deliver on my values? Should/Can I refine or revise the strategies I am using for fulfilling my values and goals?

Where you have been

Where you are now, related links, © 2021. this work is licensed under a cc by-nc-sa 4.0 license..

Assignment Help

  • Why Choose Us
  • Vision and Mission
  • Hire Writers
  • How it Works

Driscoll Reflective Model | How to Include It in Your Assignment?

Driscoll's Reflective Model

Table of Contents

  • What Is a Reflection and Reflective Models?
  • What Is Driscoll Reflective Model?

How to Use Driscoll Reflective Model in Assignment Writing?

Why use driscoll reflective model in academic writing.

  • What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Driscoll Reflective Model?

What Are the Reasons One Should Seek Experts’ Help for Assignment Writing?

“Bella was sitting in the waiting hall when a patient approached her. He was their regular patient, Mr Mark, who was suffering from Asthma. Mr Mark said that he recently found out about a new treatment online and was enquiring whether he could be prescribed for that. Bella politely replies that she wasn’t aware of this treatment, and thus, for the time being, it is better that he continued his current medication.”

What would you do if you were in her situation? How would you deal with that particular patient? Will you be able to tackle the problem better than Bella or worse? Are these questions revolving in your mind? If yes, then the reflection is the tool you need right now!

Students pursuing nursing education or undergoing clinical practices use reflective models and tools like reflection. They help them demonstrate their everyday learning and are helpful in processing thoughts after any critical incident.

If you are also pursuing nursing, you should read this blog until the end to learn about the Driscoll reflective model, one of the most popular reflection cycles. Let’s get started…

Stuck with Driscoll Reflective Model? We're Here to Help!

Connect with Us on Whatsapp to Get Assistance Instantly.

What is a Reflection and Reflective Models?

A reflection is a tool used extensively in health and social care. It is known as the reviewing experience of the practice, where students describe, analyze, evaluate, inform, and make changes in their future practices. In simple words, reflection is looking into the actions of the past. And, based on that, taking and modifying the changes for the future. It is thus, known as user experience for growth.

Reflection uses a framework of 5R’s for deep and purposeful thinking. They are reporting, responding, relating, reasoning, and reconstructing. One can easily use this framework to reflect their experience on any particular incident. Now, there are many more models which are used for reflection purposes, such as:

  • Gibbs Reflective Cycle
  • Kolb Reflective Cycle
  • Schon Model
  • Rolfe et al.’s Framework for Reflexive Learning
  • John’s Model for Structured Reflection
  • Atkin’s and Murphy Model
  • Brookfield Model
  • Mezirow Model of Transformative Learning
  • Driscoll Model of Reflection

Various Reflection Models in Healthcare

Among these, the Driscoll model of reflection is the most popular. So, we shall look into it in the below section.

What is Driscoll Reflective Model?

Driscoll's reflective model, as the name suggests, is a model used to reflect on something. This is one of the simplest models used to remember in any nursing practice. This was developed in 1994, 2004, and 2007 by Driscoll, after whom this model is named.

This model includes three phases of the experimental learning cycle. The three stem questions inspire these three stages asked initially by Terry Boston in the year 1970. They are:

Questions/Stages in Driscoll Reflective Model

Now, we shall look into each of these questions in detail:

‘What’ is the first stage of this process. It is the stage where you describe the major incident. It again covers the following points:

  • What happened?
  • What did you observe?
  • What was your reaction?
  • What is the addressed issue?
  • What is the purpose of recollecting this situation?

2. So what?

It is the second stage of the process. Here, you analyze and understand the context and the situation. Here, you focus on the below-mentioned points:

  • Did you clarify an interest?
  • Did you learn any new skills?
  • What did you like about this experience?
  • What did you dislike about this experience?
  • What are the troubles you faced if any?

3. Now what?

This is the last stage of this process. Here, you represent the proposed actions after the occurrence of the incident or experience. This raises questions like:

  • What are the root causes of the addressed issues?
  • How to apply this learning through your experience?
  • What do you need to face a similar situation like this?
  • What should you do to alter the situation?
  • What will happen if you do not alter anything?

Now, this is all about Driscoll's reflective model. Are you wondering what about assignment writing? Then, move to the below section to know how to include this model in your assignment.

Looking for Someone to Write Plagiarism And AI-Free Papers?

We Focus on Writing Unique Content to Maintain the Academic Integrity.

Now, as we have already looked into what a Driscoll Reflective model is, we shall move to how to include it in your assignment. During your nursing course, when you are asked to reflect on any incident, you can follow the below steps and implement this model:

  • Understand the assignment topic well so that you can proceed further in the right direction.
  • Choose your reflective cycle model. While there are more of them, Driscoll is the most commonly used model for its simplicity. (If it is already mentioned in the question, skip this step).
  • Take a blank paper and write down the three main questions, the three stages of this model. They are, “WHAT,” “SO WHAT,” “NOW WHAT.”
  • Brainstorm, research, discuss, and finally come up with answers for the above three questions related to your experience.
  • Once you have answered these, go deeper into each category and answer the other questions in every category. 

So, this is the five-step process following which you can quickly implement this model in your assignment. Also, do not forget to read, revise, edit, and proofread your work before you submit it to your professor. Also, when you are writing your work, focus on achieving the 4C’s of reflection, which are:

4-Cs in Driscoll Reflective Model

Let us look into the advantages and disadvantages of using this model in the below section.

Several students have a query: "why use the Driscoll reflective model" in academic writing? So here is the proper explanation to clear all doubts about the reflective model. It is utilized in various fields where the student's talents influence performance and job completion and are not employed in a straightforward standardisation procedure. According to a study, the reflective learning model is confined to education but applies to various settings and disciplines. The contemplative method aids in quickening the learning process and supplements personal experiences.

The model was created with consideration for real-world scenarios. The Driscoll Model of Reflection is employed in nursing practice. One of the required fields that makes use of reflective learning in nursing.

However, many aspects of nursing offer a wide range of scenarios that states for subjective judgement. The nurse assists patients with their different requirements by helping them obtain expertise in medical circumstances. It is more probable that the nurse will provide adequate care as she assists in acquiring knowledge and encountering medical conditions. It aids individuals in engaging effectively and exploring their experiences, which helps to foster fresh appreciation and understanding.

Need Academic Writing Help?

Seek the Best Academic Writing Help in the UK

What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of It?

In this section, we shall focus on the advantages and disadvantages of using this Driscoll reflective cycle for your assignment:

Advantages:

  • It produces quick results.
  • It is a very simple process.
  • It is easy to remember and follow.
  • It works like a simple questionnaire.
  • It is suitable for beginners to work with ease.

Disadvantages:

  • It cannot provide a deeper reflection.
  • It is not suitable for layered or extensive reflection.

This model has only two disadvantages and five main advantages. So this makes it clear that it is the ideal model for including reflections on your nursing practices in your assignment.

If you are wondering how to write a reflective essay that reflects your life experience, you can turn to  assignment help . Wondering why? Read till the end to know more about it.

If you are looking forward to seeking help from the experts of the Assignment Desk for including the Driscoll reflective model in your assignment, and are wondering the reason why you should do so, then here are some:

  • When you lack subject knowledge, you should seek our services to clear the concepts through assignments.
  • When you lack a flair for writing, seek help from our experts who possess exemplary writing skills to impress your professor easily.
  • When you lack time, avail our help and get your document delivered before the deadline that too directly to your mail.

Hope you got some solid reasons to place an order with us for your assignment. And remember! You can contact us at any hour of the day via call, text, or mail, and we will be there to help you through it! So, reach us now!

Share Your Requirements Now for Customized Solutions.

Delivered on-time or your money back

Our Services

  • Assignment Writing Service
  • Essay Writing Help
  • Dissertation Writing Service
  • Coursework Writing Service
  • Proofreading & Editing Service
  • Online Exam Help
  • Term paper writing service
  • Ghost Writing Service
  • Case Study Writing Service
  • Research Paper Writing Service
  • Personal Statement Writing Service
  • Resume Writing Service
  • Report Writing Service

To Make Your Work Original

Check your work against paraphrasing & get a free Plagiarism report!

Check your work against plagiarism & get a free Plagiarism report!

Quick and Simple Tool to Generate Dissertation Outline Instantly

Get citations & references in your document in the desired style!

Make your content free of errors in just a few clicks for free!

Generate plagiarism-free essays as per your topic’s requirement!

Generate a Compelling Thesis Statement and Impress Your Professor

FREE Features

  • Topic Creation USD 3.87 FREE
  • Outline USD 9.33 FREE
  • Unlimited Revisions USD 20.67 FREE
  • Editing/Proofreading USD 28 FREE
  • Formatting USD 8 FREE
  • Bibliography USD 7.33 FREE

Get all these features for

USD 80.67 FREE

RELATED BLOGS

Related Blog

Latest Social Media Dissertation Topics for 21st Century Students

Related Blog

A Detailed Pestel Analysis of Netflix

Related Blog

Application of Statistics in Different Fields

Related Blog

PESTLE/PESTEL Analysis - Overview, Advantages, Disadvantages & Examples

Related Blog

SWOT Analysis of Apple Inc. (2019)

Professional assignment writers.

Choose a writer for your task among hundreds of professionals

Mobile-view

Please rotate your device

We don't support landscape mode yet. Please go back to portrait mode for the best experience

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Know more

Calculate the Price

Professional Academic Help at Pocket-Friendly Prices!

Captcha Code

Estimated Price

Limited Time Offer

Exclusive Library Membership + FREE Wallet Balance

1 Month Access !

5000 Student Samples

10,000 Answers by Experts

Get $300 Now

Use the ‘What? So What? Now What?’ model: a great example of reflective questioning

In this guide to the ‘what so what now what’ reflection model you’ll find the resources you need to successfully enhance your reflective questioning abilities..

Here’s what you’ll find in this blog post:

  • What is ‘What? So What? Now What?’
  • ‘What? So What? Now What?’ instructions
  • Key development opportunities
  • What you’ll need
  • Example reflection questions
  • Alternative review models and activities
  • ‘What? So What? Now What?’ FAQs

Take me straight to the free downloads !

What is ‘What? So What? Now What?’

This is a reflective model designed to help people evaluate a recent experience or experiential learning activity. When used with groups and teams it’s a great way to highlight ways through which they can improve, refine, and otherwise strengthen their team-working skills.

Note: to make this blog post a little easier to read we’ll refer to ‘What? So What? Now What?’ as WSWNW from now on 👍

As the name suggests, there are three stages to this reflection model:

  • What? An objective review of what took place
  • So what? A more subjective exploration of the implications
  • Now what? A look at how the lessons learned can be carried forward

Most commonly attributed to Rolfe et al. in 2001, but you may also see Terri Burton, Dorothy Strachan, or Henri Lipmanowicz and Keith McCandles credited with its development.

How to use ‘What? So What? Now What?’

As a reflection model, WSWNW is best employed immediately after a task is finished. Used this way it gives participants the chance to reflect on a recent experience while the memory is fresh and, ideally, to put new ideas to immediate effect by repeating the activity.

Instructions for facilitating ‘What? So What? Now What?’

As WSWNW is split into three distinct phases, we’ve included instructions for each:

  • After an activity to be reviewed is finished, gather everyone back together in their teams. The kind of experiential activities found in an MTa Kit lend themselves well to using WSWNW, as the review is a great way to help people make the most of the experience.
  • Give each participant the opportunity to reflect individually for a couple of minutes, and ask them to write down their thoughts. Post-its work well here as they’ll be sharing their thoughts with others in their team.
  • Encourage them to focus on the objective experience, and use facilitation questions to guide their thoughts. See the ‘What?’ section of the ‘Good reflection questions’ section below for suggested questions.
  • Ask individuals to regroup into their teams and share their thoughts with each other.
  • Invite each team to present their thoughts to the group as a whole, with emphasis on objective reports of what happened rather than subjective interpretations.
  • While groups are presenting, write key information down on a whiteboard or similarly visible surface.
  • Again, give each participant the opportunity to reflect individually, asking them to write down their thoughts about the subjective aspects of the task.
  • Use the facilitation questions from the ‘So What?’ section to guide their thoughts.
  • Repeat steps 4-6 above, emphasising subjective information instead of objective. 
  • Discuss emergent ideas and conclusions as a group.
  • Give participants a minute to jot down their ideas about how to move forward based on the insights from ‘What?’ and ‘So What?’
  • Give teams 5 minutes to share and build their ideas.
  • Gather the whole group and encourage group discussion using the facilitation questions in the ‘Now What?’ section.
  • To maximise the efficacy of WSWNW in an experiential learning context, we recommend repeating the initial task as a way for participants to put their ideas to the test. 

Key Development Opportunities

  • Taking time to observe, reflect and learn before repeating a similar task, rather than rushing in blindly. This also fosters a reflective mindset: one that places less emphasis on blame than a reactive mindset.
  • Taking time also encourages participants to build a better understanding of the task, a useful skill to carry forward into many situations in and out of work.
  • If facilitated correctly (i.e. with the focus shifting between each step, and with reflection questions used to guide participants’ thoughts), this model encourages individuals and teams to take ownership of issues and look to resolve them internally rather than immediately looking to someone else (usually a superior) to fix it for them.
  • That it’s OK to make mistakes! By engaging in structured reflection participants learn that mistakes or setbacks can be fertile ground for the ideas that eventually lead to improvement or even success.

Materials Needed

Good reflection questions.

The reflection questions below are adapted from resources like those available from the University of Cumbria and Hilbert College , and while quite general, map well onto the three stages of WSWNW. 

One important element of good reflection questions is choosing those which align well with the task at hand, and which prompt lines of thought that will lead to meaningful change. Each MTa activity comes with tailored reflection questions designed to achieve exactly that.

In general, you can tell good review questions from bad ones with a quick sense check. Bad review questions are closed, loaded, provoke a defensive response, shut down thinking, and get people to critique the activity rather than the process.

Example of reflection questions for the ‘What?’ stage

What happened?

What was the objective or goal?

What were your initial expectations?

What were your observations?

What was your role and what were your responsibilities?

What did you do?

How did others respond?

Were there consequences? If so, what were they?

Example of reflection questions for the ‘So What?’ stage

What were you thinking about?

What were your actions based on?

What knowledge or expertise did you bring to the situation?

What could you have done differently? Better? 

What is your understanding of the activity now?

What did you learn? 

Did anything surprise you or deviate from your expectations?

What lens are you looking at the activity from?

Did you enjoy it? What did or didn’t you like particularly?

What did you learn about the other participants?

Example of reflection questions for the ‘Now What?’ stage

 What do you need to do in order to improve things next time?

What might the root causes of any identified issues be?

What learning occurred for you in this experience?

How can you apply this learning in future iterations of this activity?

How can you apply this learning in other contexts?

Is any follow-up needed to address any challenges or difficulties?

If you could do the project again, what would you do differently?

Downloads to help you facilitate with the ‘What? So What? Now What?’ model

We’ve put together the resources below to help you to use the WSWNW model as effectively as possible. 

Free Lego Challenge Worksheet download

Free Review Questions document a list of example review questions to aid reflection

Using ‘What? So What? Now What?’ in experiential learning

As outlined in our exploration of experiential learning , one of the key stages is reflective observation. Here, reflecting from multiple perspectives on an activity and its outcomes is a way to crystalise their understanding and the bedrock upon which subsequent steps are built.

By reflecting, observations and reflections can be integrated into new theories. Structured review techniques – like WSWNW – are a way to ensure the observations and reflections are arrived at, examined critically, and integrated effectively.

After review, repeating an activity (the active experimentation stage) is an opportunity to put these newfound ideas to the test. It’s from this repeat experience that lessons are learned, and meaningful behavioural change is achieved.

By incorporating WSWNW into your activities, you give your participants a chance to reflect and engage in the experiential learning process. Rather than perform an activity in isolation and hope that lasting change is achieved (hint: it rarely, if ever, is), you provide a structured and specialised framework for this change to come to fruition.

Alternatives to ‘What? So What? Now What?’

There are plenty of different reflection models and styles available, and each of our kits and the activities they contain come with tailored review sheets. These sheets are designed to facilitate the conversation and reflection required to allow lasting behavioural change.

Here are two examples of activities and the review prompts they contain.

Hoist – from MTa Insights

In this multiphase leadership activity, available in MTa Insights , participants must work together in a team, lead others and then experience being led.

This activity is designed to provide significant discussion and learning in:

  • Instructing
  • Gaining commitment 
  • Followership 
  • Leadership 
  • Prioritising 
  • Customer focus 
  • Thinking ahead

military experiential learning activity

Over the Bridge – from MTa Team Kit

This activity, part of the MTa Team Kit, introduces fundamental concepts and skills of teamwork. While the central task – building a bridge – sounds simple, the activity is structured in such a way that participants are prompted to link their learning with their life as a while, and to plan how to implement what has been learned.

This activity is designed to 

  • Introduce a broad range of team skills 
  • Provide an opportunity to consolidate learning about effective team working 
  • Raise some of the fundamental issues behind effective leadership 
  • Emphasise the need for teams to be aware of and meet customers’ needs

participants engaging in an experiential learning activity

‘What? So What? Now What?’ FAQs

Many facilitators have questions about how this reflection model works and how best to put it to use. We’ve rounded up some of these questions below – feel free to get in touch if you have more via the live chat icon in the bottom right! 

Who came up with the WSWNW model?

The model was first used by Rolfe et al (2001), and you can see the full reference at the bottom of this article. The model is sometimes attributed to other authors, as mentioned previously, but Rolfe et al should be considered the originators.

When should I use WSWNW?

This reflection model is useful when facilitating reflection of an activity, as outlined above, but it can also be put to good use when reflecting on an experience in the past. The model can be used anytime you need to achieve reflection within a structured framework.

What other reflection models are there?

There are many other models of reflection available, including (but not limited to):

  • The ERA Cycle (Jasper, 2013)
  • Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle (1988)
  • Driscoll’s What Model (various citations)
  • Johns’ model for structured reflection (2006)

Further reading

Driscoll, J. (2007). Practicing Clinical Supervision: A Reflective Approach for Healthcare Professionals . Edinburgh: Elsevier.

Gibbs, G. (1998). Learning by Doing: A Guide to Teaching and Learning Methods . Oxford: Further Education Unit, Oxford Polytechnic.

Jasper, M. (2013). Beginning Reflective Practice . Andover: Cengage Learning.

Johns C (1995) Framing learning through reflection within Carper’s fundamental ways of knowing in nursing . Journal of Advanced Nursing, 22 (2) , 226-234.

Rolfe, G., Freshwater, D., Jasper, M. (2001). Critical reflection in nursing and the helping professions: a user’s guide . Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Want to get better at facilitating?

MTa Masterclass

Free consultation

Let’s get started! If you’re new to experiential learning, we can provide the guidance you need to get going with confidence.

Click for a free consultation

Get in touch

Call us to have a chat

Call us now

Got a question?

Check out our FAQ’s for answers to the most common questions

FAQ’s

en_GB

OnlineNursingPapers

  • Log in ▼
  • Our Guarantees
  • Our Services
  • How it Works

Full Guide on Driscoll Model of Reflection Nursing Essay

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.

Why We Are the Best

  • 100% non-plagiarized Papers
  • Dedicated nursing and healthcare writers
  • 24/7 /365 Service Available
  • Affordable Prices
  • Money-back and Privacy guarantees
  • Unlimited Amendments upon request
  • Satisfaction guarantee

reflective essay examples using driscoll model

  • Online Nursing Assignment Help
  • Nursing Assignment Help
  • Nursing Dissertation Writing Services
  • Nursing Capstone Project Writing Services
  • Best Nursing Essay Writing Company
  • Best Online Nursing Assignment Help
  • Nursing Term Paper Writing Services
  • Nursing Report Writing Services
  • Nursing Annotated Bibliography by Professional
  • Nursing Essay Assignments
  • Nursing Assignment Writing
  • Nursing Case Study Writing Services
  • Nursing Coursework Writing
  • Online Nursing Research Paper writing service
  • PICO Question Examples
  • Nursing Thesis Writing Services
  • Nursing Research Paper Writing Services
  • Nursing Presentation Writing
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Epidemiology assignment help
  • Write my nursing dissertation for Me
  • Nursing Essay Writing Service
  • Memberships

John Driscoll Model of Reflection

john driscoll model of reflection toolshero

John Driscoll Model of Reflection: this article provides a practical explanation of the John Driscoll Model of Reflection , developed by John Driscoll . Next to what it is, this article also highlights the steps, the practice, consequences of a reflective work method, the needed skills, attributes and tips. After reading this article, you’ll understand the basics of this and personal development and reflection tool . Enjoy reading!

What is the John Driscoll Model of Reflection?

The John Driscoll Model of Reflection is a framework for reflection, developed into a structured process to guide reflection.

There are several models of reflection and there isn’t one right choice. It’s important to choose the model that matches the person who will be using it.

Free Toolshero ebook

The John Driscoll Model of Reflection is based on the three stem questions by Terry Borton, developed in 1970. These are:

Driscoll connected these three stem questions to the stages of an experience learning cycle, and then added trigger questions that must be answered to complete the reflection cycle. The three questions were developed in 1994, 2000 and 2007. The John Driscoll Model of Reflection is one of the simplest models of reflection.

John Driscoll Model of Reflection cycle - toolshero

Figure 1 – ohn Driscoll Model of Reflection cycle

By answering these three questions, you can start to analyse experiences and learn from these. First, it’s important to describe what the situation or experience was like.

The context is essential. This gives the user a more complete idea of what is going on. This is achieved by thinking about the ‘what’ question? What was learnt from the experience? The last phase encourages the user to think about the action that is taken as a result of the reflection.

Should behaviour be changed? Must something new be introduced? Or is the status quo sufficiently positive, which means no changes are needed?

Step 1: what?

To complete the first step of the structured reflection, the following questions must be answered:

  • Briefly describe the experience/situation/incident you will be reflecting on
  • What exactly happened?
  • What exactly did you do?
  • Was someone else involved?
  • Was it a good experience? Or bad? Or both? And why?

Step 2: so what?

To complete the second step of the structured reflection, the following questions must be answered:

  • How did you feel at that specific moment?
  • How you react?
  • Why did you react this way?
  • Did you feel the same about the situation then as you do now?
  • Were you experiencing a conflict with your personal values?
  • Do you think past situations have influenced your experience during this situation?
  • Who else was involved? How did they feel? And how did they react? And why did they react this way?

Step 3: now what?

To complete the third step of the structured reflection, the following questions must be answered:

  • What have you learnt from reflecting on this situation/experience/incident?
  • Could you have prevented negative outcomes?
  • And how could you have done so?
  • What would you do differently if a similar situation were to occur in the future?
  • What could you do to better prepare yourself for this?
  • Where did it go wrong last time and what will you focus on now?

Thinking about the practice

The models and theories of reflection are often aimed at teachers. That makes sense, as they are the ones who must transfer this knowledge to others. The John Driscoll Model of Reflection helps teachers, but others involved as well, to stay engaged in the work of academics.

An important aspect to be able to do this is to keep track of activities . This is necessary to allow for evaluation and to create a learning moment. By addressing the disadvantages of a certain method, new ways can be found to solve problems.

Reflective practice is often viewed as a choice for professionals whether or not to engage in reflection about their work. But in reality, all practitioners in all sectors think about their professional lives.

In his research, Driscoll posits that, when he investigates whether or not someone is already reflecting in practice, he would probably establish that this person constantly thinks about what he or she is doing.

Thinking about an experience, so he says, is a competent and deliberate activity that demands the capacity to analyse practical situations and judge the effectiveness of methods. What is usually viewed as reflection, is not reflection in essence at all.

Considering an experience or event is often not targeted and rarely leads to necessary or new ways of thinking or acting in practice. That is what reflective action represents.

Why is change caused by reflection emphasised so strongly in the study?

In Driscoll’s research, he also discusses why change through reflection is emphasised so strongly. He refers to fellow researcher Jarvis when he pleads in favour of the need for a reflective practice because nurses deal with people who cause them to responsively and reflectively carry out their tasks due to their individual character, rather than simply perform these task routinely.

He also refers to Cox et al. A study from 1994 demonstrates that nurses, just like other people in all aspects of their life, don’t always think about their actions in detail. As a result, these nurses are reproached for working on auto pilot, where fixed patterns are followed that direct their actions.

Using the John Driscoll Model of Reflection for reflective writing

The John Driscoll Model of Reflection is so simple that it can also easily be used to learn reflective writing. The model is very useful and has been present long enough to train reflective writing.

The reason for this is that this model helps the writer to organise his or her document more constructively and succinctly. Merely the same three questions are needed to write a well-structured and succinct document. Focus on these three questions.

To prevent making mistakes in the future and to prevent accidents, a good analogy with the past must exist. By identifying and analysing past mistakes, people can make sure that similar situations can be better addressed in the future.

Complete Personal Development and Transformation Course    More information

John Driscoll Model of Reflection: consequences of a reflective work method

In the study where John Driscoll elaborates on this theory about this subject, he names several consequences and conditions of ‘reflective practice’. He also refers to Bulman who suggests that reflection forces practitioners to face incongruities and awkwardness. This study was done in the context of the nursing sector at that time.

Furthermore, he states that reflection is a deliberate event that takes both time and dedication. ‘Why did you do that?’ is probably the most important question. Answering that question is part of the conditions that are needed for regular critical reflection in practice. The alternative question is: ‘why did you choose to do nothing?’

Several other examples of reflective employees in practice (from the nursing sector) are:

  • Improves the group instead of competing with traditional forms of knowledge about something specific
  • Can generate practice-based knowledge because it’s based on real practice
  • Values what colleagues do and understands why they do it
  • Can help others to gain better insight into tricky and complex exercises
  • Can support others by offering them the opportunity to talk
  • Puts improvement of patient care first
  • Encourages others to find ways of becoming more effective and to improve in practice
  • Offers a practical learning activity that can contribute to the training of other professionals
  • Offers an investigative and evidence-based approach

The conditions, or part of the burdens to become reflective are:

  • Finding the time to participate in this process
  • Distinguishing from the masses
  • Challenging conformity in practice
  • Often a lonely voice
  • Being less satisfied with the way the work is being done
  • Wanting to know more about why things are done a certain way
  • Being called a troublemaker
  • Suggesting alternative work methods
  • Having no idea or knowledge of how to further develop an idea
  • Pressure from stakeholder to change
  • Pressure from stakeholders to keep things the same
  • Fear to rock the boat in a relationship
  • Fear of promotions and chasing ambitions

Which skills and attributes are needed for reflective practice?

Everyone can learn reflective practice, because in most environments, there is plenty going on that must be reflected on. In his research, John Driscoll posits that becoming a reflective practitioner is a deliberate activity with a focus on improving and changing the practice.

This can be applied by employees of all levels and all sectors. Several skills and attributes are needed to engage in reflective practice. These are briefly summarised below. The list is based on the original study by John Driscoll from 2000, concerning the nursing practice:

  • A willingness to learn from what is happening in practice is required
  • Being open to share practical elements with others is a must
  • Being motivated enough to repeat aspects of the clinical practice is important
  • Knowledge about the clinical practice can be gained both within and outside the clinical practice
  • Awareness of the conditions needed for reflection
  • The ability to describe in detail how a situation occurred.
  • Recognising the results of reflection
  • The ability to articulate what is happening in practice
  • A conviction that the learning process is never finished
  • Being brave enough to think honestly
  • Elaborating schemata to analyse personal actions
  • Being honest in describing the clinical practice to others.

The problem with lists such as the above is that readers are often bored by reading them, or in the worst case may develop an overwhelming sense that they won’t be able to live up to everything from the list.

The best method to master this is by trying. And repeating. As one of the forefathers of reflective practice , John Dewey posited in 1929: ‘we don’t learn by doing, but we learn by doing and realising what became of what we did’.

John Driscoll Model of Reflection: where can reflective practice be applied?

In his research, John Driscoll openly wonders what part of the readers should agree on formalising reflection as a permanent event on the workfloor.

Other formalised activities, such as the assessments of students or the department manager, are not as easily forgotten. Below is a list of some information, but also of formalised possibilities in nursing to think about reflection. Think of the following things:

  • Transition meetings
  • Transition times
  • Meetings/lessons/courses
  • Reading articles from journals
  • Visiting journal club
  • Network meetings or conferences
  • Clinical case studies
  • Case conferences
  • Attending doctor’s rounds
  • Working with more experienced employees
  • Working with nurses who are new
  • Letters of complaint
  • Critical or important events in the department
  • Keeping a professional portfolio
  • Clinical risk assessments
  • District meetings
  • Annual assessments
  • Staff restaurant or staff break room

Tips for learning reflective working

In his research, Driscoll gives several tips for learning reflective working. When developing your reflective skills, keep these tips in mind.

Find a reflection partner

A respected colleague, mentor or supervisor could offer room for deliberate thinking about the practice and reflecting on this. Bulman suggests that it’s useful to find someone who already has experience in using reflection in practice and with whom someone feels safe to reveal practical experiences.

Use a defined framework

Reflective learning in practice is a valuable tool, not just for the nursing sector. Still, there is a lot to be learnt from this sector, also in business.

Join the Toolshero community

Now it’s your turn

What do you think? Do you recognise the explanation of the John Driscoll Model of Reflection? Do you believe that reflection in practice is important? Or is reflective learning only important in the nursing sector? Do you see similarities with other models of reflection, such as by Christopher Johns or Gibbs? Do you have any tips or additional comments?

Share your experience and knowledge in the comments box below.

More information

  • Driscoll, J. (1996). Reflection and the management of community nursing practice . British Journal of Community Health Nursing, 1(2), 92-96.
  • Driscoll, J. (2000). Practising clinical supervision: A reflective approach . Bailliere Tindall.
  • Driscoll, J., & Teh, B. (2001). The potential of reflective practice to develop individual orthopaedic nurse practitioners and their practice . Journal of orthopaedic nursing, 5(2), 95-103.
  • Driscoll, J. (Ed.). (2006). Practising clinical supervision: A reflective approach for healthcare professionals . Elsevier Health Sciences.

How to cite this article: Janse, B. (2020). John Driscoll Model of Reflection . Retrieved [insert date] from Toolshero: https://www.toolshero.com/personal-development/john-driscoll-model-of-reflection/

Published on: 07/14/2020 | Last update: 12/27/2023

Add a link to this page on your website: <a href=”https://www.toolshero.com/personal-development/john-driscoll-model-of-reflection/”>Toolshero: John Driscoll Model of Reflection</a>

Did you find this article interesting?

Your rating is more than welcome or share this article via Social media!

Average rating 4.8 / 5. Vote count: 8

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

We are sorry that this post was not useful for you!

Let us improve this post!

Tell us how we can improve this post?

Ben Janse

Ben Janse is a young professional working at ToolsHero as Content Manager. He is also an International Business student at Rotterdam Business School where he focusses on analyzing and developing management models. Thanks to his theoretical and practical knowledge, he knows how to distinguish main- and side issues and to make the essence of each article clearly visible.

Related ARTICLES

single double loop learning toolshero

Single Loop Learning by Chris Argyris and Donald Schön

Reflective Learning - toolshero

Reflective Learning Approach: reflect and learn

What is Coaching and is it for you - Toolshero

What Is Coaching And Is It For You?

Cognitive restructuring - Toolshero

Cognitive Restructuring: Worksheet and Theory

Personal Reflection 2023 - Toolshero

Personal Reflection 2023

Gibbs Reflective Cycle by Graham Gibbs - Toolshero

Gibbs Reflective Cycle: Theory and Example Template

Also interesting.

5e instructional model 5e model toolshero

5E Instructional Model

Outline Method of Note Taking - Toolshero

Outline Method of Note Taking

4mat learning model toolshero

4MAT Learning Styles Model by Bernice McCarthy

2 responses to “john driscoll model of reflection”.

' src=

When has the date of publication on the Driscolls Model of Reflection?

reflective essay examples using driscoll model

Hello Charlotte, this article was published on 07/14/2020

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

BOOST YOUR SKILLS

Toolshero supports people worldwide ( 10+ million visitors from 100+ countries ) to empower themselves through an easily accessible and high-quality learning platform for personal and professional development.

By making access to scientific knowledge simple and affordable, self-development becomes attainable for everyone, including you! Join our learning platform and boost your skills with Toolshero.

reflective essay examples using driscoll model

POPULAR TOPICS

  • Change Management
  • Marketing Theories
  • Problem Solving Theories
  • Psychology Theories

ABOUT TOOLSHERO

  • Free Toolshero e-book
  • Memberships & Pricing

Marked by Teachers

  • TOP CATEGORIES
  • AS and A Level
  • University Degree
  • International Baccalaureate
  • Uncategorised
  • 5 Star Essays
  • Study Tools
  • Study Guides
  • Meet the Team
  • Subjects allied to Medicine

Reflection essay on vital signs using Driscoll's model

Authors Avatar

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).

Join now!

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

 | Page

Reflection essay on vital signs using Driscoll's model

Document Details

  • Author Type Student
  • Word Count 988
  • Page Count 3
  • Level University Degree
  • Subject Subjects allied to Medicine
  • Type of work Homework assignment

Related Essays

Observation and reflection. Measuring vital signs - Temperature, Pulse, Respiration and Blood Pressure.

Observation and reflection. Measuring vital signs - Temperature, Pulse, Res...

Reflection on personal learning needs

Reflection on personal learning needs

Reflection In Presentation

Reflection In Presentation

Student Nurse Placement Reflection and Personal Development Plan.

Student Nurse Placement Reflection and Personal Development Plan.

U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

  • Publications
  • Account settings

Preview improvements coming to the PMC website in October 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

  • Advanced Search
  • Journal List
  • J Med Libr Assoc
  • v.108(3); 2020 Jul 1

Elevation through reflection: closing the circle to improve librarianship

Jolene m. miller.

1 [email protected] , Director, Mulford Health Science Library, and Assistant Professor, Library Administration, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH

Stephanie Friree Ford

2 gro.srentrap@drofeerirfs , Manager, Library Resources, Mental Health Sciences Library, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA

3 ude.etatsonserf.liam@98gnaya , Science Librarian, University Library, California Health Sciences University, Clovis, CA

Associated Data

There are no data associated with this article.

Reflective practice is a strategy promoted as a way to improve professional performance and to develop expertise. Intentional reflection on work situations can lead to improved understanding of a specific situation, identify strategies for similar situations in the future, and uncover assumptions that hinder service to patrons. Research has identified lack of knowledge to be a barrier to health sciences librarians engaging in reflective practice. This article introduces the use of intentional reflection at work: what it is, how it helps, and how it can be applied in librarianship. It also provides practical advice on how to choose a format, how to use a model to guide reflection, and how to incorporate it into work.

An external file that holds a picture, illustration, etc.
Object name is jmla-108-3-353-g003.jpg

Jolene M. Miller, MLS, AHIP

INTRODUCTION

In her 2017 article in the Journal of Information Literacy , Corrall captures the challenge of incorporating intentional reflection into professional practice: “reflection is a deceptively simple idea that is easy to grasp at a basic level but may be hard to put into practice in a professional [librarian] context” [ 1 ]. It is an everyday process that often happens without conscious thought, but reflection with the goal of improving professional practice requires intention. Reflective practice is the process of bringing intentional reflection to one's work to improve practice: providing better instruction, managing electronic resources more effectively, interacting with coworkers more collaboratively, and so on. It closes the loop: new understandings are applied to personal and organizational processes to improve performance. Discoveries about oneself have an impact on thoughts, feelings, and behavior; and relationships improve.

The good news is that no one is a blank slate with respect to reflection at work. The language of reflective practice and the use of models may be new, but the experience of thinking back on a situation and trying to make sense of it is universal. Having a formal process of reflective practice can help health sciences and medical librarians identify and develop best practices. This article, born out of an immersion session offered at the Medical Library Association (MLA) 2019 annual meeting [ 2 ], is designed to help readers incorporate reflection into their professional practice.

There are many diverse published models of reflective practice ( supplemental Appendix A ). They all have three main components: (1) description of the experience, (2) reflection on and exploration of why things happened as they did, and (3) identification of changes to thinking and behavior to improve the outcomes of future experiences. Reflective practice usually starts with consideration of a specific experience that had an unexpected outcome. Most models include guiding questions to make sure that all aspects of the experience are considered, such as external aspects (what happened, who was involved) and internal aspects (how one was feeling before, during, and after the experience). External sources of information such as observations of other people or data from evaluation forms may also be included.

After describing the experience, one reflects on it. This is the core of reflective practice. “Why” questions are common in this stage, guiding analysis and interpretation of the experience [ 3 ]. This stage includes judgments: What went well in the experience? What could have gone better? What was one's role in the outcome? What important aspects still need to be identified and considered? After reflection, there is an invitation to action. What could have been done differently? How might the outcome have been different? What needs to be done to improve practice in the future? This could be a change in how things are done or how other people are treated. It could also be a change in thinking about and approaching situations with a different mindset [ 4 ].

In addition to having different stages and questions, models approach reflective practice from different perspectives [ 5 ]. While all reflective practice models encourage deeper thought about a situation, critical reflection models encourage exploration of the assumptions underlying situations, which is a key step in critical librarianship. Use of critical reflective practice can “direct and inform action that carries social and ethical implications beyond the technical execution of library work” [ 6 ]. It provides a method for identifying personal and professional values, exploring where thoughts and actions diverge from these values [ 7 , 8 ], and identifying courses of action that are consistent with these values. It uncovers hidden biases that influence decision making and hinder high-quality service. In the context of critical librarianship, it is used to identify opportunities to dismantle oppressive social structures and systems such as white supremacy, patriarchy, and capitalism [ 9 ].

REASONS TO TAKE THE TIME TO ENGAGE IN REFLECTIVE PRACTICE

One of the greatest human attributes is the ability to think about and reflect on actions and experiences, whether an unexpected flash of self-reflection, a well-thought-out journal entry, or somewhere in between. As Taylor states, “Thinking can be a gift and a curse, depending on how we employ it in our daily lives” [ 10 ]. Based on one's mindset, an experience can be used for good or for ill. For example, an employee may use a negative evaluation as a reason to place full blame for their poor performance on others, rather than use it as a sign to explore their strengths and weaknesses, structural challenges, and ways to improve their performance.

Making the deliberate choice to engage in reflective practice harnesses the power of thought to improve professional practice. Using intentional reflection at work offers a variety of benefits. While the process directly benefits the librarian doing the reflecting, the resulting changes can extend out to the library, institution, and the profession. Some of the ways that reflective practice improves professional practice are explored below.

Uncovering inconsistencies in thought and action

There are often inconsistencies between what people say they believe and how they act. Critical reflective practice can be used to examine espoused theories (what one says one believes) and theory-in-use (how one acts) [ 11 , 12 ]. Identifying inconsistencies is the first step in understanding them and resolving them. Are they true inconsistencies or nuanced distinctions? What next actions are needed? Reflection can also facilitate the application of professional standards and ethics in practice [ 13 ].

Improving regulation of emotions

Reflective practice can improve regulation of emotions. It allows librarians to approach situations more objectively and less reactively by the process of cognitive reappraisal. Cognitive reappraisal is a way of thinking differently about a situation that changes internal emotional experiences and, in turn, external emotional expression [ 14 ], with the goal of modifying emotions that hinder effectiveness. Reflective practice provides space to explore situations and new ways of thinking about them, reducing their emotional impact and the emotional impact of future situations.

Reducing burnout

Health sciences and medical librarians provide an array of intensive services: systematic reviews, liaison support, evidence-based practice or critical appraisal instruction, and in-depth research assistance. Managing and providing these services can increase stress and burnout. As noted above, reflective practice facilitates cognitive appraisal, which in turn reduces the risk of burnout caused by emotional labor and suppression of emotions.

While reflective practice in and of itself cannot solve organizational issues that lead to burnout, it can be used to explore how role ambiguity and overload contributes to personal stress and burnout [ 15 ]. The results of this reflection can be used in conversations with supervisors to improve position-related and structural issues. In addition, reflective practice can reduce the chance of burnout resulting from “over-learning” repetitive and routine tasks [ 16 ]. Taking time to reflect interrupts the “hamster wheel” of activity, reconnecting daily work to the importance of health sciences librarians' role in patient care, education, and research.

Maximizing professional development

Library school cannot prepare graduates for every possible future, especially health sciences and medical librarians. They must take an active role in their continuing professional development. Many attend webinars and training, while others obtain their credentials through MLA's Academy of Health Information Professionals. Reflective practice can be used to get the most out of the time and money invested in both continuing education and the development of a portfolio for the academy. Taking time to reflect before and after continuing professional development activities can improve learning and assist in the application of new knowledge and skills. Reflective practice can also be used for big-picture planning for professional development [ 17 ]. While some continuing education courses include reflection, many do not, requiring librarians to take a more proactive role. Suggestions on how to apply reflective practice in continuing professional development are provided in Table 1 .

Using reflective practice for professional development

Demonstrating professional performance

While reflective practice works best when the librarian wants to be engaged in reflection, some institutions require self-reflection as a part of the performance evaluation process, such as part of a portfolio [ 18 , 19 ]. Because meaningful reflection requires privacy and a trusted environment, reflection on one's performance takes place before the self-evaluation document is written. The document reports on the outcomes of the self-reflection, rather than the full reflective process.

FORMATS FOR REFLECTIVE PRACTICE

Reflective practice can take on a variety of formats that can be used with a model, combination of models, or no model. Find the formats that work best, remembering that as needs change, so might preferred formats.

Reflecting alone without recording the reflections

The simplest way to engage in reflective practice is to reflect alone without recording the reflections. This is somewhat similar to meditation in that it is internal reflection; however, analysis and judgment occur that are absent in meditation. This format is a good option if time for reflective practice is short. It is better to think about a situation and not record, than to skip reflection altogether because of lack of time. One drawback to this format of reflective practice is that it relies on memory to track the outcomes of reflection.

Reflecting alone and capturing the reflection

Reflecting alone and recording the reflection is a popular format for reflective practice. Reflective writing (handwritten journal entry or typing an electronic document) is a common way to reflect, though audio or video recordings can also be used. The obvious benefit of this format is that the reflection is captured for future review. A less obvious but more important benefit of reflective writing is that the writing “is the reflective process,” rather than just a recording of the reflection [ 20 ], because the physical process of writing helps clarify thoughts and conclusions. Librarians who are not comfortable with writing could use a form (perhaps based on steps in a reflective practice model) to jot down key ideas from reflection.

Talking with another person, such as a colleague or mentor

For some, talking through reflection can be effective. Reflective conversation with another person, such as a colleague or a mentor, can lead to additional insight. An outsider's perspective and questions might shed some light on the situation and increase understanding. These conversations need to take place in an environment that is confidential in order to explore situations fully and honestly. Reflective conversations can also be held with a supervisor, though the power differential may hinder deep reflection and honesty. Reflective conversations have additional aspects that need to be considered, which are listed in supplemental Appendix B .

Talking with a group of people

Small group discussions are another format for those who would like to verbalize their reflections. Group members can support one another in their reflections and learn from each other's successes and mistakes. It can be a regularly scheduled meeting or one called specifically when someone is looking for outside perspectives. Health sciences and medical librarians who work in different environments (e.g., academic, hospital, corporate) can consider forming groups with the intention of conducting reflection. Having some commonalities and some differences supports rich discussion. While reflecting in a group has similar considerations as reflecting with one other person (confidentiality and potential power differentials), it has additional considerations, such as how the group will be facilitated. Supplemental Appendix B lists considerations for being part of a reflective small group.

Reflecting alone, followed by talking with others

Another option is a combination of reflecting alone and then talking with others, either one-on-one or in a group. This is particularly helpful for those who have trouble identifying the outside perspective or overcoming other challenges in the reflective process. Talking to one or more colleagues can foster deeper individual reflection. Personality, preference, and opportunity will have an impact on format choice. Regardless of the chosen formats, reflection can be freeform or follow a model.

USE OF A MODEL

There is no formal model for conducting reflection that is geared toward health sciences and medical librarians; however, there are many published models in other professions. A reflective practice model can be used exactly as described in the literature or it can be used as a loose guide. As noted above, it can be turned into a form, where brief answers or comments can be jotted down without extra narrative. Models often provide a visual structure of the reflective process, which allow individuals who are reflecting to incorporate a process for thinking about their experiences, rather than have thoughts float around out of context [ 10 ]. Using a model can be particularly helpful for people who are new to reflective practice or for those who want to deepen their practice. Three example models are described below. Additional models can be found in supplemental Appendix A .

Situation, Evidence, Action (SEA)-Change Model

There are varied reflective practices models from many disciplines, yet the nature of intentional reflection requires the three components described earlier: description of the experience, reflection on and exploration of why things happened as they did, and identification of changes to thinking and behavior to improve the outcomes of future experiences. Some models—such as the Situation, Evidence, Action (SEA)-Change Model ( Table 2 ) that originated in professional library education—focus on these three elements. Instead of including generic questions to guide reflection, the SEA-Change Model identifies characteristics of deep reflection, as defined by Moon [ 21 ]. While the complete model includes a de-scaffolding component to help instructors facilitate student autonomy during reflection, leading to independence, the core of the model is three steps: identify the situation, provide the evidence, and follow through with an action or change [ 22 ].

Situation, Evidence, Action (SEA)-Change model

Adapted by permission of Barbara A. Sen.

Gibbs Reflective Cycle Model

Other models, such as Gibbs' Reflective Cycle Model ( Table 3 ) from the literature of teacher education, include more stages—"Description,” “Feelings,” “Evaluation,” “Analysis,” “Conclusion,” and “Action Plan”—and provide guiding questions to foster a more complete reflection [ 23 ]. Even with these extra stages, the three core components of reflective practice are present.

Used under Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License by Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development, Oxford Brookes University, Wheatley Campus, Wheatley, Oxford, UK, OX33 1HX.

Kim's Critical Reflective Inquiry Model

Some models apply the three main elements of reflective practice to a specific focus. Kim's Critical Reflective Inquiry Model ( Figure 1 ), from the literature of advanced nursing practice, describes three phases: “Descriptive,” “Reflective,” and “Critical/Emancipatory” [ 24 ]. In addition to reflection on the situation, it explicitly calls for reflection on one's espoused theories and intentions. This provides appropriate material for the final stage: critiquing practice and participating in the process that leads to change. The key aspect of this model requires critiquing beliefs, assumptions, and personal and professional values. Because of the nature of critical reflective practice, this model benefits from a combination of individual reflection and reflective conversation with others.

An external file that holds a picture, illustration, etc.
Object name is jmla-108-3-353-g001.jpg

These three models are a small sample of published reflective practice models. When reviewing models for possible use, consider whether you are:

  • New to reflective practice? Consider a model that includes guiding questions.
  • Short on time? Consider a simple three-component model.
  • Interested in a specific theoretical underpinning? Some models are highly informed by specific theories; others are more practical. Make sure to review the theories used and the assumptions made by potential models. For example, Ghaye offers a strengths-based model [ 25 ].
  • Interested in creative expression? There are models that incorporate storytelling [ 26 ] and poetry [ 27 ] as part of the reflective process.

Remember that all models include describing a situation, using reflection to make sense of it, and identifying and making appropriate changes.

REFLECTIVE PRACTICE IN ACTION

The beauty of reflective practice is that it can be used by health sciences and medical librarians in any type of library, in any type of work, and at any stage in their careers. There are many ways in which reflective practice can be applied to librarianship.

Evidence-based library and information practice

Reflective practice is an important component of evidence-based library and information practice (EBLIP) [ 28 , 29 ]. Koufogiannakis and Brettle state that “EBLIP asks librarians to think critically about their practice and the process they use in making decisions” [ 30 ]. Reflection is embedded throughout the process, starting with an articulation of the problem to solve or decision to be made and ending with evaluation of the implemented solution or decision made. The journal Evidence-Based Library and Information Practice has a column called “Using Evidence in Practice,” which provides a place for librarians to share their experiences with applying evidence to a situation, including a reflection on their processes.

Reflective practice can also be used to improve librarians' skills as creators of evidence. Some authors focus on specific techniques, such as reflective writing [ 31 ], while others situate reflective practice in the broader context of research [ 32 , 33 ]. Hypothesis , the journal of the MLA Research Caucus, recently introduced a column called “Failure,” which is an opportunity for health sciences library researchers to reflect on challenges in the research process and how the challenges could have been avoided, allowing others to learn from their experiences [ 34 ].

Critical librarianship

Critical librarianship, “bringing social justice principles to…work in libraries” [ 35 ], relies on critical reflection to explore areas where libraries and librarians are supporting systems of oppression and to identify alternatives [ 36 ]. Articles on critical librarianship often identify examples and questions from librarianship or other disciplines that can be incorporated into critical reflection. For example, the #CritLib moderators post questions to be discussed at upcoming Twitter chats that can be adopted for individual critical reflection [ 35 ], and questions from parts of the chats are archived on the website. Regardless of the source of guidance for critical reflection, it is important to critical librarianship that the reflection results in action: “linking reflection to action is the enactment of critical practice ” [ 6 ].

Improvement of teaching

Teacher education has a long tradition of reflective practice to improve instruction and classroom management, resulting in a large body of knowledge that has informed the professional development of librarians in teaching roles. Reflective practice has been promoted as a tool for improving teaching skills [ 37 – 39 ] and as a technique for developing one's identity as a teacher [ 4 , 38 ]. The Association of College & Research Libraries' Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education has been suggested as a tool to guide reflection with the purpose of improved instruction [ 40 ]. Reflective practice is a key component in the development of a teaching portfolio [ 18 ].

Management and leadership

Reflective practice is a helpful tool for administrators, both for helping employees improve their performance and improving the supervisor's own practice. An institution may require employees to complete self-evaluations of their performance prior to the supervisors' evaluations. These annual self-evaluations can be difficult as employees struggle to remember a year's worth of activity. Reflective practice can mitigate the process. Supervisors can encourage their employees to reflect on a regular basis, whether it be monthly, quarterly, or biannually, as an effective way for employees to review their own work and track what was done, constructively gain insight into their performance, and document outcomes of practice improvement processes. This use of reflective practice enables thoughtful consideration of performance and can be used in informal or structured ways.

Reflective coaching can be used with employees between annual evaluations [ 41 ]. Reflective practice is beneficial to individual managers and to management teams. Just as the act of reflecting on one's own past work is a helpful tool for employees, it is also helpful for managers. It is a learning process itself, and that learning enables future change and a higher understanding of one's own strengths and weaknesses. Beyond specific work situations, resources are available to use reflection to explore core aspects of leadership [ 19 , 42 ].

It is not easy to engage in reflective practice. It takes time, dedication, and energy, any or all of which can be in short supply. Investing in one's self and one's career to become a better health sciences or medical librarian is worth the cost. Here are some tips to support exploration of reflective practice.

Pay attention

Reflective practice includes aspects of mindfulness, as only through paying attention can situations that would benefit from reflection be identified, such as surprising outcomes or uneasy feelings [ 43 ]. With a mindful approach, one can explore situations and alternatives in a way in which defensiveness is reduced, improving one's ability to plan and take action.

Be intentional and purposeful

Start each reflection with an intention to guide the time: why reflect on the identified situation? It is easy to start reflecting on a particular situation and then drift to something else. Granted, the tangent might lead to an important discovery, but an intention can help maintain focus. Sample intentions are how to improve an instruction session with negative evaluations or how to work more efficiently with the information technology (IT) department to streamline access to library resources.

Use a model to get started

As noted above, using a model can help visualize the process and provide a structure for the reflection. Most reflective practice models include a series of questions that can be used to guide reflection. Pick one that seems likely to work well for the current situation (time available, experience with reflective practice, complexity of the intention, and so on). If it does not work as well as expected, try another.

McCorquodale advises: “Value yourself enough to take time to reflect on your practice” [ 44 ]. One of the most common factors identified as a barrier to engaging in reflection is lack of time [ 45 , 46 ]. Everyone leads busy lives, and scheduling time for reflection is the first step to incorporating reflective practice into work life. What is needed: scheduling reflection time regularly or reflecting when a situation arises? If regular reflection is desired, when would be the best time and day to schedule it? Is it scheduled after certain kinds of events, such as after each instruction session? How long might a reflection period last? Block out reflection time on the schedule and defend it. Remember why investing time and effort in reflective practice is worthwhile.

Finding a space to reflect is as important as making time. The office is not ideal as there are often too many distractions and interruptions. Whether it is a couch in the library or a table at a coffee shop, find a space to conduct reflection. The space should be a place where one feels confident, protected, free from discrimination, and secure to conduct efficient reflection.

Find support

There are many different types of support that can be utilized to help to make the reflection process easier. Support from a supervisor can help facilitate the process by helping to find time to reflect. This support will allow the supervisor to see an interest in assessing the quality of the employee's work for professional growth. Supplementing independent reflection with conversation with trusted colleagues (individually or in a group) can provide feedback, clarity, support, and accountability. There are multiple opportunities to find a mentor through professional organizations such as MLA, the Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries, and regional or state associations.

Be consistent

Reflective practice is not a skill learned overnight. Like all skills, experience brings improvement both in the reflective process and the application of insights from reflection to professional practice. Consider keeping track of reflections and outcomes in order to reflect on them. Reviewing that history can help identify how reflective practice skills have improved. Reflective practice is not a “one-size fits all” methodology, and there will be some trial and error to find what works best. Additional resources about reflective practice can be found in supplemental Appendix C .

Developing a practice of using intentional reflection does not happen quickly or spontaneously. It requires practitioners to be purposeful and build processes for reflective practice. The investment of time and energy in intentional reflection allows health sciences librarians to learn from their experiences and most importantly, helps them close the circle and apply what they have learned to improve their professional practice.

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

Supplemental files.

Creating a new NHS England: Health Education England, NHS Digital and NHS England have merged.  Learn more

More results...

The IACC reflective written narrative

Your written narrative will demonstrate your readiness to practise against the five Good Scientific Practice domains by directly referencing completed evidence in your portfolio. You will need to demonstrate that you recognise your current stage of ability as well as your continuing development needs.

In summary, the written reflective narrative of the IACC assessment requires you to:

  • Analyse your completed evidence in your portfolio.
  • Professional practice
  • Scientific practice
  • Clinical practice
  • Research, development and innovation
  • Clinical leadership
  • Reflect on gaps in knowledge and practice.
  • Demonstrate a plan of action to inform future practice and development.

Writing your reflective narrative

Critical reflection involves a process of thinking which demonstrates your ability to:

  • explore, question, and analyse your experiences
  • apply your knowledge
  • use your knowledge to enhance your understanding of these experiences
  • use your knowledge to shape your future experiences
  • learn from past experiences and implement changes to ensure ongoing professional development

You are required to use the “what? so what? and now what?” model of reflection (Driscoll, 2007) to write your narrative. This model is summarised below:

reflective essay examples using driscoll model

Driscoll Model of Reflection

Driscoll, J. (ed.) (2007) Practicing Clinical Supervision: A Reflective Approach for Healthcare Professionals. Edinburgh: Elsevier.

Describe an event or action or experience

Reviewing the experience and explaining why that action or event was significant

Demonstrate learning from the experience by explaining how you will use that information to inform practice in the future

Using the Driscoll model for the IACC reflective narrative

You will briefly describe the evidence from your portfolio which demonstrates your readiness to practice for each of the five Good Scientific Practice domains.

Reflective pieces will build on descriptions to analyse and unfold the account further. You will analyse the evidence you have referenced.

  • What does it prove?
  • How do you feel about the evidence and the experiences?
  • What are the gaps in your knowledge?

Critical reflective pieces will assess your own capabilities (knowledge and skills) and further learning needs or support. This is where you will demonstrate that you are a lifelong learner and that you can critically evaluate your practice.

  • What are you going to do about the gaps in your knowledge or practice?
  • How are you planning to develop further?

Examples of "what? so what? and now what?"

The examples listed below are from IACCs which passed. You can identify good practice for example, they are clearly referenced to evidence in the portfolio, but they also use the “what? so what? now what?” model of reflection.

After each example an illustration is given on how it reflects Driscoll’s approach to reflection but remember when writing your IACC it must be presented in a continuous narrative  following the template and guidance .

“Despite ample exposure to various EEG types [SP S222c7:3, SP SC222c8:3, SP SC222c8:4], I have identified some gaps in my learning. For example, currently I am assisting with ambulatory recordings. Although I have developed my clinical and technical skills, such that I am able to successfully apply and remove the ambulatory device, I ensure that I seek supervision for this [SPS222c8:8]. This is because I recognise that a seemingly small technical error can result in a malfunction, meaning that data has not been captured. This would ultimately delay the diagnostic process and cause undue stress and inconvenience to the patient. By seeking supervision in such instances, I ensure that I work within the limits of my personal competence and therefore minimise any undue harm to the patient. Moving forward, I am also aiming to develop my confidence in reporting full ambulatory recordings. I have worked closely with my training supervisor to devise a plan which will make this achievable over the coming weeks [SPS222c8:10].”

Despite ample exposure to various EEG types [SP S222c7:3, SP SC222c8:3, SP SC222c8:4], I have identified some gaps in my learning. For example, currently I am assisting with ambulatory recordings. Although I have developed my clinical and technical skills, such that I am able to successfully apply and remove the ambulatory device, I ensure that I seek supervision for this [SPS222c8:8].

This is because I recognise that a seemingly small technical error can result in a malfunction, meaning that data has not been captured. This would ultimately delay the diagnostic process and cause undue stress and inconvenience to the patient. By seeking supervision in such instances, I ensure that I work within the limits of my personal competence and therefore minimise any undue harm to the patient.

Moving forward, I am also aiming to develop my confidence in reporting full ambulatory recordings. I have worked closely with my training supervisor to devise a plan which will make this achievable over the coming weeks [SPS222c8:10].

“I have gained knowledge and practical skills in many qualitative and quantitative methods used in laboratory medicine (SLS100:4, SLS103:4). This has established a good breadth of knowledge and shows my abilities in standard 2.1.3. However, when I first started shadowing the duty biochemist role and reflected on these sessions (SC110:13), I realised gaps in my knowledge in some of the analytical methods specific to clinical biochemistry. Therefore prior to starting on the duty biochemist rota, I further enhanced my knowledge of automated and manual analytical methods. One way in which I did this was through completing multiple assay verifications for the biochemistry service, demonstrating 2.2.4 and 2.2.5. These verifications necessitated an understanding of the underlying principles of methods in order to design assay verification experiments and interpret the verification data (SC110:22, SC110:23)”.

I have gained knowledge and practical skills in many qualitative and quantitative methods used in laboratory medicine (SLS100:4, SLS103:4). This has established a good breadth of knowledge and shows my abilities in standard 2.1.3.

However, when I first started shadowing the duty biochemist role and reflected on these sessions (SC110:13), I realised gaps in my knowledge in some of the analytical methods specific to clinical biochemistry.

Therefore prior to starting on the duty biochemist rota, I further enhanced my knowledge of automated and manual analytical methods. One way in which I did this was through completing multiple assay verifications for the biochemistry service, demonstrating 2.2.4 and 2.2.5. These verifications necessitated an understanding of the underlying principles of methods in order to design assay verification experiments and interpret the verification data (SC110:22, SC110:23).

“I believe I have been an extremely hard-working trainee throughout my time on the STP, with one comment on MSF 2 describing an ‘almost impeccable work ethic’ alongside multiple positive comments on my professionalism (MSF: 2). I believe this has been reflected across all 5 domains of the GSP that is required to be a clinical scientist. This work ethic has been reflected in both my academic work and clinical practice. Successfully passing the BSE written exam alongside multiple ultrasound competencies (SPS121: 11-13) allowed me to demonstrate the knowledge and ability required to perform, analyse, and report echocardiograms. One of my goals over the next year is to gain my full BSE accreditation. The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly impacted my training to some extent. It was however an opportunity to gain skills and assist in different areas such as learning more about correct PPE usage. This was reflected in becoming a fit tester for the trust and advising on the correct FFP-3 masks required. As the pandemic appears to be easing, I believe there will be more opportunity to gain exposure to the areas I missed out on during the pandemic. These mainly relate to more ward-based scanning, such as suspected endocarditis scans and post-surgical referrals, as trainees we weren’t allowed on ward rounds to minimise the number of people”.

I believe I have been an extremely hard-working trainee throughout my time on the STP, with one comment on MSF 2 describing an ‘almost impeccable work ethic’ alongside multiple positive comments on my professionalism (MSF: 2). I believe this has been reflected across all 5 domains of the GSP that is required to be a clinical scientist. This work ethic has been reflected in both my academic work and clinical practice.

The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly impacted my training to some extent. It was however an opportunity to gain skills and assist in different areas such as learning more about correct PPE usage. This was reflected in becoming a fit tester for the trust and advising on the correct FFP-3 masks required.

As the pandemic appears to be easing, I believe there will be more opportunity to gain exposure to the areas I missed out on during the pandemic. These mainly relate to more ward-based scanning, such as suspected endocarditis scans and post-surgical referrals, as trainees we weren’t allowed on ward rounds to minimise the number of people.

Complete examples of the five domains

The following examples are from trainees who successfully passed their IACC. All references to the trainee and location have been removed.

Cookies on the NSHCS website

We've put some small files called cookies on your device to make our site work.

We'd like to set some additional cookies to understand how you use the website and to improve it.

We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.

Let us know if this is OK. We'll use a cookie to save your choice. You can read more about our cookies before you choose.

  • I'm OK with analytics cookies
  • Do not use analytics cookies

Help

  • Cambridge Libraries

Study Skills

Reflective practice toolkit, introduction.

  • What is reflective practice?
  • Everyday reflection
  • Models of reflection
  • Barriers to reflection
  • Free writing
  • Reflective writing exercise
  • Bibliography

reflective essay examples using driscoll model

If you are not used to being reflective it can be hard to know where to start the process. Luckily there are many models which you can use to guide your reflection. Below are brief outlines of four of the most popular models arranged from easy to more advanced (tip: you can select any of the images to make them larger and easier to read).

You will notice many common themes in these models and any others that you come across. Each model takes a slightly different approach but they all cover similar stages. The main difference is the number of steps included and how in-depth their creators have chosen to be. Different people will be drawn to different models depending on their own preferences.

ERA Cycle

  • Reflection 

The cycle shows that we will start with an experience, either something we have been through before or something completely new to us. This experience can be positive or negative and may be related to our work or something else. Once something has been experienced we will start to reflect on what happened. This will allow us to think through the experience, examine our feelings about what happened and decide on the next steps. This leads to the final element of the cycle - taking an action. What we do as a result of an experience will be different depending on the individual. This action will result in another experience and the cycle will continue. 

Jasper, M. (2013). Beginning Reflective Practice. Andover: Cengage Learning.

Driscoll's What Model

Driscoll's What Model

By asking ourselves these three simple questions we can begin to analyse and learn from our experiences. Firstly we should describe what the situation or experience was to set it in context. This gives us a clear idea of what we are dealing with. We should then reflect on the experience by asking 'so what?' - what did we learn as a result of the experience? The final stage asks us to think about the action we will take as a result of this reflection. Will we change a behavior, try something new or carry on as we are? It is important to remember that there may be no changes as the result of reflection and that we feel that we are doing everything as we should. This is equally valid as an outcome and you should not worry if you can't think of something to change. 

Borton, T. (1970) Reach, Touch and Teach. London: Hutchinson.

Driscoll, J. (ed.) (2007) Practicing Clinical Supervision: A Reflective Approach for Healthcare Professionals. Edinburgh: Elsevier.

Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle

Kol's Experiential Learning Cycle

  • Concrete experience
  • Reflective observation
  • Abstract conceptualization
  • Active experimentation 

The model argues that we start with an experience - either a repeat of something that has happened before or something completely new to us. The next stage involves us reflecting on the experience and noting anything about it which we haven't come across before. We then start to develop new ideas as a result, for example when something unexpected has happened we try to work out why this might be. The final stage involves us applying our new ideas to different situations. This demonstrates learning as a direct result of our experiences and reflections. This model is similar to one used by small children when learning basic concepts such as hot and cold. They may touch something hot, be burned and be more cautious about touching something which could potentially hurt them in the future. 

Kolb, D. (1984) Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall.

Gibb's Reflective Cycle

Gibbs' Reflective Cycle

  • Description
  • Action plan

As with other models, Gibb's begins with an outline of the experience being reflected on. It then encourages us to focus on our feelings about the experience, both during it an after. The next step involves evaluating the experience - what was good or bad about it from our point of view? We can then use this evaluation to analyse the situation and try to make sense of it. This analysis will result in a conclusion about what other actions (if any) we could have taken to reach a different outcome. The final stage involves building an action plan of steps which we can take the next time we find ourselves in a similar situation. 

Gibbs, G. (1998) Learning by Doing: A Guide to Teaching and Learning Methods. Oxford: Further Education Unit, Oxford Polytechic .

Think about ... Which model?

Think about the models outlined above. Do any of them appeal to you or have you found another model which works for you? Do you find models in general helpful or are they too restrictive?

Pros and Cons of Reflective Practice Models

A word of caution about models of reflective practice (or any other model). Although they can be a great way to start thinking about reflection, remember that all models have their downsides. A summary of the pros and cons can be found below:

  • Offer a structure to be followed
  • Provide a useful starting point for those unsure where to begin
  • Allow you to assess all levels of a situation
  • You will know when the process is complete
  • Imply that steps must be followed in a defined way
  • In the real world you may not start 'at the beginning'
  • Models may not apply in every situation
  • Reflective practice is a continuous process 

These are just some of the reflective models that are available. You may find one that works for you or you may decide that none of them really suit. These models provide a useful guide or place to start but reflection is a very personal process and everyone will work towards it in a different way. Take some time to try different approaches until you find the one that works for you. You may find that as time goes on and you develop as a reflective practitioner that you try different methods which suit your current circumstances. The important part is that it works - if it doesn't then you may need to move on and try something else.

  • << Previous: Everyday reflection
  • Next: Barriers to reflection >>
  • Last Updated: Jun 21, 2023 3:24 PM
  • URL: https://libguides.cam.ac.uk/reflectivepracticetoolkit

© Cambridge University Libraries | Accessibility | Privacy policy | Log into LibApps

Types of Assignment

  • Starting an assignment
  • Academic poster
  • Annotated bibliography
  • Project Proposal
  • Dissertation or final year project
  • Literature review
  • Critical Assessment - Assessing Academic Journal Articles
  • Systematic Review (Postgraduate resource)
  • Presentation

Reflection: Things you need to know...

What is reflection?   You reflect when you give ‘serious thought’ to a situation you have experienced.

Why reflect?   Reflection helps you avoid making the same mistakes over and over again.  It gives you an opportunity to think deeply about a specific subject/issue and to investigate it, so that next time you encounter the same situation you can be ‘better’ in what you do.

What does reflection involve? Questioning – investigating – action planning.  Looking at events through the eyes of others.

Is there a structure to reflection?   Various models can be used to help you structure and clarify your ideas.  Popular ones are the Driscoll Reflective Model (2010) or Gibbs (1988) but there are many others.  The choice of model depends of the type of reflection (e.g. action orientated, process driven or personal feelings).

How does it support my development? R eflection should lead to action planning.  What have you learnt from your investigation?  How can you improve your performance in a similar situation next time?

  • Reflection 1 The Driscoll (2000) Reflective Model is a simple and effective 3 stage model which can guide your reflections.
  • Reflection 2 This factsheet provides alternative models which can be used for reflection.

Need to know more...

  • Inforgraphics

rolfe reflective inforgraphic

  • << Previous: Presentation
  • Next: Report >>
  • Last Updated: Mar 19, 2024 10:11 AM
  • URL: https://libguides.staffs.ac.uk/assignments
  • Library and Learning Services, Staffordshire University, College Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 2DE
  • Accessibility
  • Library Regulations
  • Appointments
  • Library Search

LLS logo

The University of Edinburgh home

  • Schools & departments

Reflection Toolkit

Gibbs' Reflective Cycle

One of the most famous cyclical models of reflection leading you through six stages exploring an experience: description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion and action plan.

Gibbs' Reflective Cycle was developed by Graham Gibbs in 1988 to give structure to learning from experiences.  It offers a framework for examining experiences, and given its cyclic nature lends itself particularly well to repeated experiences, allowing you to learn and plan from things that either went well or didn’t go well. It covers 6 stages:

  • Description of the experience
  • Feelings and thoughts about the experience
  • Evaluation of the experience, both good and bad
  • Analysis to make sense of the situation
  • Conclusion about what you learned and what you could have done differently
  • Action plan for how you would deal with similar situations in the future, or general changes you might find appropriate.

Below is further information on:

  • The model – each stage is given a fuller description, guiding questions to ask yourself and an example of how this might look in a reflection
  • Different depths of reflection – an example of reflecting more briefly using this model

This is just one model of reflection. Test it out and see how it works for you. If you find that only a few of the questions are helpful for you, focus on those. However, by thinking about each stage you are more likely to engage critically with your learning experience.

A circular diagram showing the 6 stages of Gibbs' Reflective cycle

This model is a good way to work through an experience. This can be either a stand-alone experience or a situation you go through frequently, for example meetings with a team you have to collaborate with. Gibbs originally advocated its use in repeated situations, but the stages and principles apply equally well for single experiences too. If done with a stand-alone experience, the action plan may become more general and look at how you can apply your conclusions in the future.

For each of the stages of the model a number of helpful questions are outlined below. You don’t have to answer all of them but they can guide you about what sort of things make sense to include in that stage. You might have other prompts that work better for you.

Description

Here you have a chance to describe the situation in detail. The main points to include here concern what happened. Your feelings and conclusions will come later.

Helpful questions:

  • What happened?
  • When and where did it happen?
  • Who was present?
  • What did you and the other people do?
  • What was the outcome of the situation?
  • Why were you there?
  • What did you want to happen?

Example of 'Description'

Here you can explore any feelings or thoughts that you had during the experience and how they may have impacted the experience.

  • What were you feeling during the situation?
  • What were you feeling before and after the situation?
  • What do you think other people were feeling about the situation?
  • What do you think other people feel about the situation now?
  • What were you thinking during the situation?
  • What do you think about the situation now?

Example of 'Feelings'

Here you have a chance to evaluate what worked and what didn’t work in the situation. Try to be as objective and honest as possible. To get the most out of your reflection focus on both the positive and the negative aspects of the situation, even if it was primarily one or the other.

  • What was good and bad about the experience?
  • What went well?
  • What didn’t go so well?
  • What did you and other people contribute to the situation (positively or negatively)?

Example of 'Evaluation'

The analysis step is where you have a chance to make sense of what happened. Up until now you have focused on details around what happened in the situation. Now you have a chance to extract meaning from it. You want to target the different aspects that went well or poorly and ask yourself why. If you are looking to include academic literature, this is the natural place to include it.

  • Why did things go well?
  • Why didn’t it go well?
  • What sense can I make of the situation?
  • What knowledge – my own or others (for example academic literature) can help me understand the situation?

Example of 'Analysis'

Conclusions.

In this section you can make conclusions about what happened. This is where you summarise your learning and highlight what changes to your actions could improve the outcome in the future. It should be a natural response to the previous sections.

  • What did I learn from this situation?
  • How could this have been a more positive situation for everyone involved?
  • What skills do I need to develop for me to handle a situation like this better?
  • What else could I have done?

Example of a 'Conclusion'

Action plan.

At this step you plan for what you would do differently in a similar or related situation in the future. It can also be extremely helpful to think about how you will help yourself to act differently – such that you don’t only plan what you will do differently, but also how you will make sure it happens. Sometimes just the realisation is enough, but other times reminders might be helpful.

  • If I had to do the same thing again, what would I do differently?
  • How will I develop the required skills I need?
  • How can I make sure that I can act differently next time?

Example of 'Action Plan'

Different depths of reflection.

Depending on the context you are doing the reflection in, you might want use different levels of details. Here is the same scenario, which was used in the example above, however it is presented much more briefly.

Adapted from

Gibbs G (1988). Learning by Doing: A guide to teaching and learning methods. Further Education Unit. Oxford Polytechnic: Oxford.

IMAGES

  1. Driscoll Model of Reflection

    reflective essay examples using driscoll model

  2. Diligent Elaboration of Driscoll Model of Reflection

    reflective essay examples using driscoll model

  3. Reflection for portfolio

    reflective essay examples using driscoll model

  4. Driscoll Model of Reflection

    reflective essay examples using driscoll model

  5. Driscoll Model of Reflection: An Intuitive Guide

    reflective essay examples using driscoll model

  6. Driscoll's Model of Reflection Explained With Example

    reflective essay examples using driscoll model

VIDEO

  1. Reflect essay topic examples

  2. PATHFIT 2- REFLECTIVE ESSAY

  3. Reflection

  4. Psychology A Alt Reflective Essay

  5. Introduction to reflective essays

  6. Reflective essay: Three more examples

COMMENTS

  1. Driscoll Model of Reflection on Nursing Care Ethics

    Introduction. In this essay I will be using the Driscoll Model of Reflection, Driscoll 2011. Reflection in nursing is when we are consciously looking and thinking about our experience's, actions, feelings and responses. We typically do this whilst asking ourselves about what we did, how we did it and what we learnt from it and that reflection ...

  2. Driscoll's Model of Reflection

    The John Driscoll Model of Reflection is one of the simplest models of reflection. By answering these three questions, you can start to analyse experiences and learn from these. First, it's important to describe what the situation or experience was like. The context is essential. This gives the user a more complete idea of what is going on.

  3. Driscoll's Model of Reflection Explained With Example

    Driscoll's Model of Reflection is a powerful tool for learning from experiences and improving personal and professional development. By following the three stages of the model, you can gain insights into your thoughts, emotions, and behaviours, leading to increased self-awareness and personal growth. Reflection requires time and effort, but ...

  4. John Driscoll's "What?" Cycle of Reflection

    The second paragraph provides the "SO WHAT" in Driscoll's model of Reflective Practice. It attempts to interpret or evaluate the description in the first paragraph. For example, in the first paragraph (amber) the writer notes that the "task was to complete a full-term-assignment that required team members to contribute and collaborate."

  5. Full Guide on Driscoll Model of Reflection Nursing Essay

    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 ...

  6. NURSING REFLECTIVE ESSAY USING DRISCOLL'S MODEL By Student's Name

    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. ... (ID) network. There are only a few examples of clinical research networks and in most ...

  7. Driscoll Model of Reflection on Nursing Care Ethics

    Nursing Care Ethics. In this essay I will be using the Driscoll Model of Reflection, Driscoll 2011. Reflection in nursing is when we are consciously looking and thinking about our experience's, actions, feelings and responses. We typically do this whilst asking ourselves about what we did, how we did it and what we learnt from it and that ...

  8. Diligent Elaboration of Driscoll Model of Reflection

    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 ...

  9. Reflective writing: Examples & exercises

    Driscoll (2007) What?, So what?, Now what? Driscoll's (2007) 'What?' model is a straightforward reflective cycle of 3 parts. Evolved from Borton's (1970) Developmental Framework, it has 3 stages that ask us to consider What?, So what?, and Now what? Step 1 - What? - involves writing a description of an event or an experience.

  10. Reflection for portfolio

    Write me a 500-word reflective essay using Driscoll's model of reflection. In the essay, I want you to consider your choices of a "good" or "bad" (remember, no names, please). Reflect on it and discuss one strength that you can identify in the "bad" leader or one weakness in the "good leader."

  11. PDF Reflection Model 2

    Reflection: So what? Analyse the experience. Reflection: Now what? Propose actions for improvement following description and analysis Driscoll, J.J. (2007) Supported reflective learning: the essence of clinical supervision? in Practising Clinical Supervision: A Reflective Approach for Healthcare Professionals (2nd edition). London: Bailliere ...

  12. Driscoll Reflective Model: How to Use in Assignment Writing?

    Driscoll's reflective model, as the name suggests, is a model used to reflect on something. This is one of the simplest models used to remember in any nursing practice. This was developed in 1994, 2004, and 2007 by Driscoll, after whom this model is named. This model includes three phases of the experimental learning cycle.

  13. PDF Reflection on a Significant Incident from Practice Introduction

    Model of Structured reflection suggested by Driscoll (2000). A rationale is given for the selection of this particular incident and also for the selection of the chosen model as a framework. It will show how the model has been used to reflect on the incident, what has been learnt, and the outcome on both current and future practice.

  14. The 'What? So What? Now What?' reflection model

    Gibbs' Reflective Cycle (1988) Driscoll's What Model (various citations) Johns' model for structured reflection (2006) Further reading. Driscoll, J. (2007). Practicing Clinical Supervision: A Reflective Approach for Healthcare Professionals. Edinburgh: Elsevier. Gibbs, G. (1998). Learning by Doing: A Guide to Teaching and Learning Methods ...

  15. Reflective Essay using Driscoll Model.docx

    Reflective Essay using Driscoll Model Introduction This is a reflective paper where I will investigate and analyze an ethical case situation. I will be investigating key parts of ethical practice. Driscoll model of reflection is perhaps the most straightforward model for rehearsing reflection created by Driscoll in 1994, 2004 and 2007. I will use this Driscoll's model of reflection for ...

  16. Full Guide on Driscoll Model of Reflection Nursing Essay

    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 ...

  17. John Driscoll Model of Reflection explanation & tips

    The John Driscoll Model of Reflection is a framework for reflection, developed into a structured process to guide reflection. There are several models of reflection and there isn't one right choice. It's important to choose the model that matches the person who will be using it. The John Driscoll Model of Reflection is based on the three ...

  18. Reflection essay on vital signs using Driscoll's model

    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.

  19. Elevation through reflection: closing the circle to improve

    INTRODUCTION. In her 2017 article in the Journal of Information Literacy, Corrall captures the challenge of incorporating intentional reflection into professional practice: "reflection is a deceptively simple idea that is easy to grasp at a basic level but may be hard to put into practice in a professional [librarian] context" [].It is an everyday process that often happens without ...

  20. The IACC reflective written narrative

    You will need to demonstrate that you recognise your current stage of ability as well as your continuing development needs. In summary, the written reflective narrative of the IACC assessment requires you to: Analyse your completed evidence in your portfolio. Synthesise what you have learnt against the five Good Scientific Practice (GSP) domains:

  21. Models of reflection

    Luckily there are many models which you can use to guide your reflection. Below are brief outlines of four of the most popular models arranged from easy to more advanced (tip: you can select any of the images to make them larger and easier to read). You will notice many common themes in these models and any others that you come across.

  22. Reflection

    Various models can be used to help you structure and clarify your ideas. Popular ones are the Driscoll Reflective Model (2010) or Gibbs (1988) but there are many others. The choice of model depends of the type of reflection (e.g. action orientated, process driven or personal feelings).

  23. Gibbs' Reflective Cycle

    The model - each stage is given a fuller description, guiding questions to ask yourself and an example of how this might look in a reflection; Different depths of reflection - an example of reflecting more briefly using this model This is just one model of reflection. Test it out and see how it works for you.