Critical Reflection On Practice

One of my clinical placements which was at oncology ward for four weeks, during
my placement I learnt a large number of medical knowledge, especially as I was at
oncology ward which means most of the patients they were having the palliative care,
therefore there is no doubt that as a oncology nurse who everyday should face many
cases of death. This reflection will use GIBBS Reflection Cycle to focus on my
clinical experience about the palliative care.

When I know most of the patients they are taking the palliative care because of the
late stage cancer, my initial feeling was sad because they seemed like they were
hopelessness with their disease. While when I know the exactly meaning of palliative
care, I think I should change my mind because this is an honour to reduce their pain
and make them to feel more comfortable in their last days.

To evaluate my clinical experience about the palliative care, I think the positive thing
is I know the exactly meaning of providing palliative care to the patients. Palliative
care is that improve the quality of life of patients and their families facing the
problems associated with life threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of
suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment of pain and
other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual (WHO, 2013). But the negative
thing is that according to Dempsey, Hillege and Hill (2014) showed that as a health
provider who provides the palliative care to a terminal period patient would undergo a
grief reaction when the patient passed away.

To analyse my clinical experience about the palliative care, from my personal

experience the palliative care means that dying is not just a physical event, but affects
all aspects of the person. It involves a range of skills, including counselling, spiritual
care, occupational therapy and massage. Health care providers ensure that all
symptoms and needs are managed, be they physical, social, psychological or spiritual
(Dempsey, Hillege & Hill, 2014).

To conclude my clinical experience about the palliative care, I think I should enhance
the skill of meaningful communication, because communication is a lifelong need up
to the moment of death and should be maintained at all times with the person and
family (OConnor, Lee & Aranda, 2012). As the patients who were taking the
palliative care, they would become sensitive sometimes, so a meaningful
communication can easily to build up a trusting relationship to implement care.

In my next action, as I know the full meaning of the palliative care now, I think this is
another way we show our respect to the patients, so I think first of all I should have a
meaningful communication with the patients which including listening skill and eyeto-eye contact to build up a trusting relationship, after building up a healthy
relationship with the patient which will easily for the nurse to implement the care and
the patients will reduce their anxiety as well.
Reference List
Dempsey, J., Hillege, S., & Hill, R. (2014). Fundamentals of Nursing and Midwifery:
A Person-centred Approach to Care. Broadway, NSW: Lippincott Williams &
Wilkins.
OConnor, M., Lee, S. & Aranda, S. (Eds). (2012). Palliative care nursing: A guide to
practice (3rd ed.). Melbourne: Ausmed Publications.
World Health Organization (WHO). (2013). Palliative care. Available online at
www.who.int/cancer/palliative/en.

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