Critical reflection and evaluation on practice is a key concept stated by the CSP (1), and is an aspect of practice that was alien to me on my initial introduction to utilising this in practice. However, this is something that I had to learn to effectively do during and after placement. Initially my reflections considered my actions and the feelings that followed my actions an did not adequately delve deeper into my own values and preferences, however I was able to identify my limits as my Scope of Practice Feedback suggests. The Placement Feedback I received evidenced me using reflection in an evidence-based manner which I believe allowed me to develop skills to understand my scope of practice through understanding when to correctly refer onwards to other services (Placement Feedback – right). My SWOT Analysis From Placement 2 and Observational Week SWOT Analysis both suggest I was “shy in new environments” and that I “try to please everyone” causing me to try to adopt 2 different methods of doing the same task during an assessment through the indifferent feedback I was getting between 2 different placement educators. I soon came to the reality that I could not continue in this manner and decided to have a discussion with both me educators about this (highlighted in SWOT Analysis From Placement 2), which I believe shows my honesty and integrity (2) towards myself and my educators for the benefit of my assessments towards patients.

In my SWOT Analysis From Placement 2, I view myself as someone who is punctual and completes tasks in a timely fashion, and this is something that I try to embody as one of my personal values. However, my conscientious nature (SWOT Analysis From Placement 2 – right) can and has lead to me not necessarily gaining as much information as I would like with a patient, leading to me over-running during assessments, which I believe demonstrates my awareness of my personal values and an understanding of how these influence my behaviour and practice (2). Furthermore, I did reflect and highlight that I have a preference for a structure during assessments with patients to ensure I obtain all relevant information as this is how I liked to conduct an assessment to maintain control over the conversation. Although this does highlight a weakness to some degree over having a lack of authoritativeness to re-direct the conversation back on topic. This is something that I have reflected upon (SWOT Analysis From Placement 2 – right) to ensure I develop my subjective skillset and maintain being timely and punctual as a key personal value while being flexible with each patient I treat going forward into my career as a physiotherapist. This is something I believe I managed to do on a placement 4 where I was able to be timely with assessments, maintain control over the conversation and most importantly, explore the patients own beliefs using Gifford’s model (3) (evidence - End of Placement 1: Reflection – right) which is something I have adopted as a personal value and I believe this allows me to build stronger relationships with patients (4,5), demonstrating again my ability to understand how my behaviours influence my practice, in addition to meeting HCPC criteria of being able to reflect and review practice (6).

Early on during the course, I completed a module that entailed working within groups of different AHP courses where stereotyping of each course/profession became apparent (Stereotyping Reflection). This module was intended to abolish such concerns, but for me this magnified them and felt these created barriers within the team I was working within. These feeling and prejudices stayed with me for some time as I had not experienced working within an MDT until placement 3, where I was “sceptical” of working interchangeably with OT’s (Placement 3: MDT working – right), therefore these prejudices I had may have been affecting my judgement.  However, upon reflection, I realised for the most effective patient-centred care, ‘working together for patients’ (7) within an MDT was most effective, and this has changed my outlook on the importance of MDT working, creating an awareness of personal values I wasn’t initially aware of, therefore going forward, I shall continue to strive towards working within an MDT throughout my physiotherapy career to ensure the most effective care for patients.

 Through my reflections and placements, amongst realising my weaknesses, I also understood my strengths. My Observational Week Action Plan helped me to realise that I must remain driven and enthusiastic to continue to learn throughout my course, I believe this is be one of my personal values and have strived to do this by staying up to date with recent event within the world by completing an online course to help me understand Covid-19 (Covid-19 Online Course) showing that I have tried to embody my fulfilment to duty of care (7) to understand what I can do to help when the time comes, and this is something that I will strive to do throughout the rest of my course, and my career as a physiotherapist.

 References

1. Charted Society of Physiotherapy. Chartered Society of Physiotherapy xx Professional Values of Members’ Code and Behaviour 2 Code of Members’ Professional Values and Behaviours [Internet]. 2019 [cited 2019 Apr 9]. Available from: https://www.csp.org.uk/system/files/csp_code_of_professional_values_behaviour_full.pdf
2. Physiotherapy CS of. Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Framework [Internet]. 2013 [cited 2020 Mar 23]. Available from: http://www.csp.org.uk/professional-union/careers-development/cpd/csp-eportfolio/my-eportfolio/cpd-
3. Jones M, Edwards I, Gifford L. Masterclass Conceptual models for implementing biopsychosocial theory in clinical practice.
4. Roberts L, Bucksey SJ. Communicating With Patients: What Happens in Practice? Background and Purpose [Internet]. 2007 [cited 2018 Nov 14]. Available from: https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article-abstract/87/5/586/2742212
5. Pinto RZ, Ferreira ML, Oliveira VC, Franco MR, Adams R, Maher CG, et al. Patient-centred communication is associated with positive therapeutic alliance: a systematic review. J Physiother [Internet]. 2012 Jun [cited 2019 Aug 12];58(2):77–87. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22613237
6. Council H and CP. Physiotherapists | The Standards of Proficiency For Physiotherapists [Internet]. 2013 [cited 2020 Mar 24]. Available from: https://www.hcpc-uk.org/standards/standards-of-proficiency/physiotherapists/
7. NHS, Health Education England. Our values | Health Education England [Internet]. [cited 2019 Jul 2]. Available from: https://www.hee.nhs.uk/about/our-values