Part B: Critical Reflective Essay (40%)
The CSP has both an organisational vision and mission for physiotherapy:
To transform lives, maximise independence and empower populations
To transform the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities by empowering our members and exerting our influence
(CSP, 2020)
This module allows students to reflect on the role of their own profession and its contribution to the provision of leadership in quality care. Consideration is afforded to the impact of leadership on quality from a professional, inter-professional, political and policy context. This critical essay component allows the student to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of critical reflective theory, whilst using and refining their leadership skills.
Through your experience on placement and in undertaking a project related to service development, you will have been able to use a variety of leadership models and skills related to both personal and organisational development. The purpose of this critical reflective essay is to allow you to demonstrate the following two module learning outcomes:
Critically appraise and apply different theories of reflective practice
Critically reflect upon and evaluate your leadership skills during your practice-based learning experience
Coursework Task
Part 1 (1000 words)
You are asked to critically appraise the theories of reflective practice and evaluate your leadership skills you have been studying during this model. You are expected to introduce the need for reflection for personal, professional and organisational development.
Theories and frameworks around reflection in practice should be considered; you should justify clearly your final choice of reflective tool/framework for Part 2 of the essay.
You are expected to also evaluate your own leadership skills using an appropriate evaluation tool (i.e. SWOT). You should consider the need for personal and organisational leadership, the possible benefits towards service development and ultimately client-centred care.
Theories around change management, evaluation of practice and quality improvement should be included. The relationship of professional development in an ever-changing world and its influence on the vision for future physiotherapy practice should be explored.
Your critical review should provide a brief conclusion. You may wish to consider:
Why is reflection important in your personal and professional development?
What reflective theories/frameworks are most relevant to physiotherapy practice?
Does reflection in learning develop your level of understanding and in what way does it influence your practice?
Which of these theories/frameworks is most effective for me and why?
Do you have any barriers with this strategy for learning?
What theories do you feel work best in health & social care settings and why?
What type of leadership style or theory do I most associate with and why?
What are the challenges and benefits to my style of leadership?
How do I as a leader influence change in practice and service development?
Part 2 (in the region of 1000 words)
Using your justified model of reflective writing from Part 1 (eg. Gibbs) you are to critically reflect on your application of leadership skills during your practice-based learning placement. Provide a brief account of a “concrete moment” which highlight these reflections.
On writing this reflective account, consider:
What leadership have you experienced in practice and how effective was it?
What happened and how did it make you feel at the time?
What are your strengths and weaknesses in applying leadership skills?
Use your personal analysis (i.e. SWOT) in relation to the development of your leadership skills
Have you experienced any difficulties in trying to excerpt your influence through leadership strategies in your practice-based learning placement?
What was the impact of this learning moment on you, others around you and the organisation itself?
What could you have done differently and why?
What personal and professional leadership aspects do you feel you need to develop to meet the CSP mission and vision of transforming lives?
How will you progress these learning and development needs (demonstrate this through an action plan using the principles of SMART goal-setting)?
(2,000 words)