Care of primigravida in labour reqiring an Epidural at 4cm - Essay Example

The third stage involves an evaluation of the positive and negative points of the experience. The fourth stage is an analysis of the components of the experience. The fifth stage includes making a conclusion based on the facts gathered about the experience. Lastly, an action plan is devised based on the results of the experience. Baird and Winter (2005) identified reasons as to why reflection is important in professional practice such as enhancement of capacity to critique habitual practices, generate practice knowledge, develop ability to adapt to new situations, and to resolve conflicts and contradictions in theory and in professional practice.

Reflection, according to Baird and Winter (2005), also aims to improve one’s self-esteem and satisfaction, and that the overall goal of reflection is to value, develop and professionalise the practice. Siviter (2008) supports the use of reflective practice in that it provides an avenue for a person to contemplate the reasons behind decision making and one’s own actions. As a person gains experience, his or her own skills and intuition will be developed subconsciously. A person usually relies on this skills and intuition but there are situations wherein one has to be certain in doing the right things for the right reasons.

In addition, reflection helps a person avoid professional entropy, which pertains to a condition wherein a person loses his or her proficiency on a certain skill due to lack of practice. This applies even to the most basic and fundamental skills. This part of the reflection provides an account of the event that took place. I am a band 5 midwife working on supervised practice at a UK hospital. A patient was admitted showing signs of second stage of labour. The patient’s name is Ellen, who is 30 years old and has a body mass index (BMI) of 29.

Immediate care was given Ellen, with epidural analgesia administered