By: Arvinder Aulakh, Jessica Brooks

“Let us never consider ourselves finished nurses…we must be learning all of our lives.”

Clearly, Florence Nightingale had early insights into the importance of continual professional growth and development. Reflective practice is foundational within pediatric hematology/oncology nursing, enhancing team collaboration, improving care standards, and supporting nurses’ emotional well-being. This offers multifaceted benefits for nurses, their young patients, and the families they care for.

Pediatric hematology/oncology nursing is a profession that embraces collaboration through reflecting on shared experiences and challenges. Reflective practice allows nurses to contribute to the collective knowledge base by critically evaluating their current practices to drive evidence-based practices. Engaging with nurses with different experiences allows for dialogue that contributes to holistic patient care, team learning, and improved communication.

Patient care outcomes are improved through reflective practice. Personal values and beliefs can indirectly and unknowingly affect patient care. Reflective practice provides insights into nurses’ strengths and challenges contributing to better clinical acumen, empathetic communication, and emotional resiliency. Through this, professional growth and development are achieved, allowing for higher standards of patient care.

It is well understood through literature and lived experience that caring for seriously ill children can lead to burnout and compassion fatigue. Reflective practice empowers nurses by enhancing their self-awareness through professional reflection, facilitating peer support through group discussion, and promoting empathy and compassion by providing a safe and non-judgmental environment. Supporting nurses’ well-being through group self-reflection promotes enhanced job satisfaction.

There are many guidelines and frameworks that can be used when doing a reflective practice. When engaging in reflection, nurses should consider these key aspects:

• Description of experience: Recall the important events and features by giving a clear, non-judgmental and comprehensive account of the experience. Experiences may include describing a challenging patient interaction, a successful teamwork experience, or any other significant event.
• Evaluation: Take a “look back” and think about the importance of that experience. What went well? What were the challenges? How did these moments impact patient care, team dynamics, or your personal feelings about work?
• Analysis: An opportunity to critically think about the experience using theory and research. This could include analyzing communication strategies, ethical dilemmas, or case studies that highlight successes and challenges.
• Future action: The experience is summarized to help gain personal insights and determine any next steps. What will you continue to do? What will you change? Setting specific and measurable goals can guide your growth.

Consider incorporating reflective practice into staff meetings, evaluations, and group discussions. Through this, professional development is enhanced because reflective practice IS nursing practice!

About the Authors
Arvinder Aulakh and Jessica Brooks are POGO Interlink Nurses working at SickKids. Learn more about the POGO Interlink Nursing Program.