Helen Hickson

Critical reflection: reflecting on learning to be reflective

In this paper, I explore reflective practice literature and the elements of critical reflection, and I reflect on my experiences of learning and using a critical reflection approach to better understand a significant incident. This reflective paper is written from my personal perspective as a social worker using Fook and Gardner’s model of critical reflection to provide a framework to reflect, explore and learn from my own experiences. The Fook and Gardner approach to critical reflection encourages deconstruction and analysis of a personal or professional experience to understand the different assumptions, relationships and influences embedded within it and how it affects our practice. As new understandings emerge, the individual is able to reconstruct this incident and develop new techniques to deal with a similar incident in the future.

Reflective Practice Online—Exploring the Ways Social Workers Used an Online Blog for Reflection

Social workers are increasingly using social media for networking, peer support, reflection, and fun. Social media presents exciting opportunities for social work practice; however, social workers and employers of social workers need to understand the challenges and conflicts that can occur. This study explored the experiences of social workers who used an online blog for reflection, describing different levels of engagement with reflection and the development of an online community of practice to support isolated social workers. This study is significant because although there are many studies that describe the experiences of students using a blog for reflection, the author has been unable to identify another study that focuses on the ways social workers engaged with a blog for reflection.

Exploring Social Workers' Experiences of Working with Bushfire-affected Families

Abstract Following the devastating Victorian bushfires in February 2009, social workers engaged with people affected by this event in a variety of roles, including bushfire case manager, counsellor, and community development worker. This paper explores the experiences of social workers who worked with bushfire-affected families to understand their role and the context in which they practised. It describes the personal impact of disaster recovery work. Secondly, by drawing on the knowledge and experiences of these social workers, this investigation identified skills and personal qualities that can be used to inform the preparation and support of social workers responding in future disaster events or emergency recovery situations. The research design featured a mixed methodology that included an anonymous online survey completed by 22 participants and personal interviews with 6 social workers. Narrative data analysis was performed to identify themes. A key finding of the study was that, while social workers frequently work in contexts of uncertainty, the demands placed on practice were exacerbated by the lack of familiarity with geography, social networks, and resources, as well as by higher levels of uncertainty and lack of clarity and detail relating to the event itself.

Becoming a critical narrativist: Using critical reflection and narrative inquiry as research methodology

This article explores the process of combining narrative inquiry and critical reflection as research methodology. Qualitative researchers use narrative approaches to explore the stories of participants and to understand the ways these stories were constructed and positioned. Critical reflection provides a framework for deconstructing the stories and exploring assumptions about knowledge, power and reflexivity. In this PhD research, the narrative approach was underpinned by, and combined with, a critically reflective research approach. As these approaches were amalgamated, the critical narrativist emerged. Principles of critical reflection and narrative scholarship can be intertwined; however, the separate threads may be conceptually and practically separated. This article describes how these modes of inquiry came together and discusses the implicit and explicit nature of the methodological positions. Finally, the author considers the opportunities for being more explicit about combining critical reflection with other research methodological approaches.

Paramedic instructor perspectives on the quality of clinical and field placements for university educated paramedicine students

OBJECTIVE To determine the elements of quality clinical and field placements through the eyes of paramedic instructors. DESIGN Qualitative study. SETTINGS Two large paramedic services in two countries where the entry to practice qualification for paramedics has been set at the Bachelors degree level. PARTICIPANTS Fifteen purposively selected paramedic instructors were invited to voluntarily participate. The criterion for inclusion was that they had supervised at least one university paramedicine student on a field placement. Recruitment ceased when saturation was reached. METHODS Face to face semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants who were asked their views and expectations of paramedicine student clinical and field placements. Inductive thematic analysis of the transcripts was completed using Nvivo software. RESULTS The elements of quality clinical and field placements from the perspective of paramedic instructors were identified. With no agreed clinical and field placement paramedicine standards in the countries studied there is variation in the focus of placements, preferred settings, and expectations. Vocationally trained paramedics favoured paramedic service placements, whilst university educated paramedics see benefits in placements in more diverse settings. CONCLUSIONS Paramedic services and universities need to collaboratively address the variation in paramedicine university student clinical and field placements. Standards need to be developed that address the purpose of placements, expectations of students and instructors, and be scaffolded across the education spectrum from undergraduate student to graduate paramedic to instructor.

Engaging in community conversation: A means to improving the paramedicine student clinical placement experience

Community conversations are structured, inclusive conversations that bring together a group of people to engage in meaningful conversation, share knowledge and ideas, and discuss solutions to complex problems. This article focuses on the methodological aspects of using community conversations as a research approach. Participants included paramedics, ambulance service managers, paramedicine students and paramedicine educators, who gathered at La Trobe University in Bendigo in February 2013 to attend a conference titled ‘Paramedic Education and Leadership. Conversations took place over three days, with participants spending around five hours discussing the key issues related to paramedicine student clinical placements. Three stages of community conversations are described, along with the participants’ evaluation of the process, leading to the conclusion that community conversations are a valuable and effective way to bring together groups of people to discuss ideas and solutions to complex social problems.

Paramedicine students' perception of preparedness for clinical placement in Australia and New Zealand

BackgroundClinical placement is an essential element of paramedicine education and training as the profession completes the transition from vocational training to a pre-employment, university based model. The objective of this study was to survey pre-employment paramedicine students at Universities in Victoria, Australia and Auckland, New Zealand to measure their self-assessed preparedness for clinical placement.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study involving paper-based questionnaires employing a convenience sample of 682 undergraduate paramedicine students (years 1–4) who had completed at least one clinical placement. Student perceptions of preparedness for clinical placement were measured using an adaptation of the ‘Preparedness for Hospital Practice’ questionnaire.ResultsThere are significant differences in students’ perception of preparedness for clinical placement, which reflects the differences between universities in relation to structure of their paramedicine programs, the timing of clinical education and the number of hours of clinical placement.DiscussionThere needs to be clinical placement agreements between the ambulance services and universities that clearly describe the standards and expected elements of a quality clinical placement.ConclusionsIn order to improve the preparedness for placement for paramedicine students, a united approach is required by all stakeholders, including ambulance services, students and universities.