Reflection on a Critical Incident

The objective of this assignment is to explore and reflect upon a situation from a clinical placement. Reflective techniques will be used to reveal how well or badly the situation was handled. And how the incident, and the reflection has influenced personal learning and professional practice in relation to nursing care.

According to Hogston and Simpson (2002, p398) reflection is "a process of reviewing an experience of practice in order to better describe, analyse and evaluate, and so inform learning about practice". Wolverson (2000, p24) includes this is an important process for all nurses wishing to improve their practice. This will be investigated using a reflective nursing model.

In accordance with the 2002 Nursing and Midwifery Council, the clients' details and placement setting has not been disclosed in order to maintain confidentiality.

The incident occurred during the first week of the placement. The writer was then asked to perform an electrocardiogram (ECG) on a sixty six year old lady in the minors department. Hinchliff, Montague and Watson (2000, p398) states that an ECG is a graphic recording of the electrical processes that initiate the contraction of the cardiac muscle, performed by attaching electrodes to the body that are then connected to an electrocardiograph.

On completion, the ECG was checked by a doctor and instructions were given to rush the patient to the resuscitation department of the Emergency department. This incident was chosen for discussion as the consequences could have been great if not dealt with correctly.

The reflective model chosen is the John's model. This is an appropriate model for a students level, being described by Burns and Bulman (2001, p11) as providing support ...

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