Descriptor of a clinical encounter

Assignment Plan Template

Please use the template below to structure your descriptor and assignment plan. You will then be expected to upload this to the relevant link on the module Moodle site by 1pm on Friday 7^th December. A reminder of the suggested assignment structure is provided below this template. Please refer to the relevant assignment brief for further information.

Descriptor (600 words)
Description: · What happened? · Describe the interaction you had with a patient/client
Feelings: · What were your initial feelings? · How did you react to the situation?
Initial evaluation of your experience:
Assignment (1500 words) Please provide bullet-pointed information in this section of your plan – We cannot read assignment drafts
Introduction: · Reflective model to be used: · Key topics to be discussed (in relation to the interaction in the descriptor (in text box within your assignment or Appendix 1)
Body of Assignment: · Theories to be explored: · Literature to be used:
Conclusion: · Is there anything you would do differently in the future? · What have you learnt from reflecting on this experience?	This can be considered at a later stage when writing your assignment (see further guidance below)
Action Plan: (could use SMART goals):

A reminder of the suggested assignment structure – includes aspects of Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle (1988):

Introduction to assignment

(within main assignment)

· Provide a concise introduction to your assignment aims and objectives. Explain how you will structure your assignment and state which reflective tool you will be using. You should also introduce your 600 word descriptor of a clinical encounter and provide this as an inserted word box or an appendix.

Description – What happened? (within the 600 word descriptor of the clinical encounter) – as a text box in your assignment or referred to as an appendix

· Provide an outline of your specific experience so that the reader has a clear grasp of this, and describe any strategies that were initially used. This could be presented in the form of written dialogue and/or a summary of the experience.

· Do not make any judgements or try to draw any conclusions yet.

Feelings: What were your initial feelings, and how did you react?(within the 600 word descriptor of the clinical encounter)

· What were your reactions and feelings about this experience?

· Do not move on to evaluating or analysing these yet.

Initial evaluation of your experience:

(within the 600 word descriptor of the clinical encounter)

· Try and evaluate your initial thoughts and feelings in order to focus on the experience; for example, what was challenging about the incident/what went well or didn’t go so well. This is important in order to help you to identify the key issue(s)/aspects of care approaches you will reflect on in the remainder of your essay.

Critical Analysis:

What sense can you make of the experience?

(within main assignment)

· Critically analyse what was going on. You need to take account of the patient’s/client’s viewpoint, and the impact on care, and also analyse the coping strategies/approaches you used in the identified situation – consider how effective they were.

· Did you achieve a therapeutic relationship? If so, you must justify why you think you did by referring to the relevant theoretical, evidence-based literature, not just simple outcomes.

· If you don’t feel you achieved a therapeutic relationship then explore how you could have approached the situation differently.

· Make use of knowledge/ideas from outside your experience to develop and inform your critical analysis; for example, from experts, mentors, policy, research, law and ethics, clinical papers, reviews, and/or discussion papers. Consider the validity of this knowledge and evidence.

· Are any themes emerging from your analysis? How do these compare with your previous experiences? Can you challenge any assumptions now?

Conclusions:

What have you learnt from reflecting on this experience?

(within main assignment)

· This should sum up the main points from your analysis.

· What have you learnt about yourself, your self-awareness and your practice?

· What have you learnt that you would recommend for practice?

Final evaluation and action plan: Is there anything you would do differently in the future?

(within main assignment)

· What would you do if this type of situation arose again?

· What steps will you take, based on what you’ve learnt, to develop your future practice?

· How will you decide if your practice has been improved?

· It would be useful to provide some SMART goals here.

Please note: the 600 word descriptor of a clinical encounter should be clearly delineated from the main text (added as a word box within your assignment OR as an appendix and referred to as such) and is therefore not counted in the word count of 1500 words.

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