Values for Professional Practice

Introduction

Professional nurses are naturally encouraged to engage in reflection because nursing knowledge is embedded in practical experience (Stein-Parbury 2009). In line with this thought, this essay is a reflection of my own values and beliefs relating to an actual episode of patient care and how these values and beliefs underpin the practice of nursing. This reflective essay will also explore into the psychological and sociological aspects of patient care relating theories and concepts when appropriate.

At this juncture, it is important to relate that the NMC (2010), in its code of standards for conduct, performance and ethics, declares the need to respect patients' right to confidentiality. In compliance with such decree, all pertinent patient information will be kept confidential. The patient who will be cited in this reflection will be given a pseudonym. She will simply be referred to as Mrs. X. Furthermore, in order to provide a detailed structure for the reflection, it is prudent to make use of a model of reflection particularly Gibbs reflective cycle. It is comprised of 6 stages that will help guide through the phases of the reflective process by posing series of cue questions (Jasper 2003). The first 2 stages are descriptive in nature which entails a narrative of the event and feelings followed by the second 2 evaluative stages where the value and meaning of the experience is questioned and discussed (Delany and Molloy 2009). The last 2 stages of the cycle involve pondering about and providing alternative plans and actions for the possibility of encountering a similar experience (Delany and Molloy 2009).

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