gibbs reflective cycle used in nursing

Reflective practice: a learning tool for student nurses

Affiliation.

1 School of Health and Social Care, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool.
PMID: 18773590
DOI: 10.12968/bjon.2008.17.11.29644

Reflection is a vital skill in contemporary nursing with student nurses expected to engage in reflective learning from the very beginning of the nurse educational programme. This article demonstrates the meaningful learning that resulted as a consequence of using critical reflection on practice. Gibbs' (1988) cycle aided the process highlighting the practical application of this cyclical framework to the author - a first-year student nurse. Matters concerning gender issues in nursing and professional conduct emerged from the analysis and were inherently explored. The article concludes by demonstrating the personal benefits of using Gibbs' (1988) cycle to varying situations and thus promoting its excellence as a learning tool for student nurses worldwide as a consequence.

Education, Nursing*
Middle Aged
Nurse-Patient Relations*
Nurses, Male / psychology
Postoperative Care / nursing
Problem-Based Learning / methods*
Self-Assessment
United Kingdom
Vulvar Neoplasms / nursing
Vulvar Neoplasms / psychology
Vulvar Neoplasms / surgery

Schools & departments

Gibbs' Reflective Cycle

One of the most famous cyclical models of reflection leading you through six stages exploring an experience: description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion and action plan.

Gibbs' Reflective Cycle was developed by Graham Gibbs in 1988 to give structure to learning from experiences. It offers a framework for examining experiences, and given its cyclic nature lends itself particularly well to repeated experiences, allowing you to learn and plan from things that either went well or didn’t go well. It covers 6 stages:

Description of the experience
Feelings and thoughts about the experience
Evaluation of the experience, both good and bad
Analysis to make sense of the situation
Conclusion about what you learned and what you could have done differently
Action plan for how you would deal with similar situations in the future, or general changes you might find appropriate.

Below is further information on:

The model – each stage is given a fuller description, guiding questions to ask yourself and an example of how this might look in a reflection
Different depths of reflection – an example of reflecting more briefly using this model

This is just one model of reflection. Test it out and see how it works for you. If you find that only a few of the questions are helpful for you, focus on those. However, by thinking about each stage you are more likely to engage critically with your learning experience.

A circular diagram showing the 6 stages of Gibbs' Reflective cycle

This model is a good way to work through an experience. This can be either a stand-alone experience or a situation you go through frequently, for example meetings with a team you have to collaborate with. Gibbs originally advocated its use in repeated situations, but the stages and principles apply equally well for single experiences too. If done with a stand-alone experience, the action plan may become more general and look at how you can apply your conclusions in the future.

For each of the stages of the model a number of helpful questions are outlined below. You don’t have to answer all of them but they can guide you about what sort of things make sense to include in that stage. You might have other prompts that work better for you.

Description

Here you have a chance to describe the situation in detail. The main points to include here concern what happened. Your feelings and conclusions will come later.

Helpful questions:

What happened?
When and where did it happen?
Who was present?
What did you and the other people do?
What was the outcome of the situation?
Why were you there?
What did you want to happen?

Example of 'Description'

Here you can explore any feelings or thoughts that you had during the experience and how they may have impacted the experience.

What were you feeling during the situation?
What were you feeling before and after the situation?
What do you think other people were feeling about the situation?
What do you think other people feel about the situation now?
What were you thinking during the situation?
What do you think about the situation now?

Example of 'Feelings'

Here you have a chance to evaluate what worked and what didn’t work in the situation. Try to be as objective and honest as possible. To get the most out of your reflection focus on both the positive and the negative aspects of the situation, even if it was primarily one or the other.

What was good and bad about the experience?
What went well?
What didn’t go so well?
What did you and other people contribute to the situation (positively or negatively)?

Example of 'Evaluation'

The analysis step is where you have a chance to make sense of what happened. Up until now you have focused on details around what happened in the situation. Now you have a chance to extract meaning from it. You want to target the different aspects that went well or poorly and ask yourself why. If you are looking to include academic literature, this is the natural place to include it.

Why did things go well?
Why didn’t it go well?
What sense can I make of the situation?
What knowledge – my own or others (for example academic literature) can help me understand the situation?

Example of 'Analysis'

Conclusions.

In this section you can make conclusions about what happened. This is where you summarise your learning and highlight what changes to your actions could improve the outcome in the future. It should be a natural response to the previous sections.

What did I learn from this situation?
How could this have been a more positive situation for everyone involved?
What skills do I need to develop for me to handle a situation like this better?
What else could I have done?

Example of a 'Conclusion'

Action plan.

At this step you plan for what you would do differently in a similar or related situation in the future. It can also be extremely helpful to think about how you will help yourself to act differently – such that you don’t only plan what you will do differently, but also how you will make sure it happens. Sometimes just the realisation is enough, but other times reminders might be helpful.

If I had to do the same thing again, what would I do differently?
How will I develop the required skills I need?
How can I make sure that I can act differently next time?

Example of 'Action Plan'

Different depths of reflection.

Depending on the context you are doing the reflection in, you might want use different levels of details. Here is the same scenario, which was used in the example above, however it is presented much more briefly.

Adapted from

Gibbs G (1988). Learning by Doing: A guide to teaching and learning methods. Further Education Unit. Oxford Polytechnic: Oxford.

Understanding the Gibbs Reflective Model: A Framework for Personal and Professional Growth

Introduction

Reflective practice is a cornerstone of personal and professional growth, providing a structured approach to learning from our experiences. Among the various frameworks available, the Gibbs Reflective Model stands out as a powerful tool for self-improvement. Whether you're a student, educator, healthcare professional, or anyone seeking to enhance their understanding of their actions and decisions, the Gibbs Reflective Model offers a structured pathway to deeper insights. In this comprehensive guide, we'll delve into the essence of reflective practice and introduce you to the Gibbs Reflective Model. We'll explore its six distinct stages, each designed to help you dissect your experiences, analyze your responses, and create actionable plans for the future. Reflective practice isn't just a concept; it's a practical approach that can transform the way you learn and grow. So, let's embark on a journey to understand the Gibbs Reflective Model and how it can empower you in both your personal and professional life.

The Six Stages of Gibbs Reflective Cycle

Stage 1: description.

At the heart of the Gibbs Reflective Model lies the crucial first stage – Description. This is where you recount the concrete experience or situation you want to reflect upon. It's essential to provide a detailed account of what happened, including the context, the people involved, and any relevant actions or events. The aim is to create a vivid picture of the experience for both yourself and your readers.

For example, if you're a nursing student, your description might involve detailing a challenging patient interaction during your clinical placement. Describe the patient, the circumstances, and the specific actions or conversations that occurred.

Stage 2: Feelings

In the Feelings stage, you delve into your emotional response to the experience. Reflect on your thoughts and emotions at the time and how they evolved throughout the situation. This stage encourages you to be honest and open about your feelings, as acknowledging them is a critical aspect of reflective practice. Understanding your emotions is key to gaining insights into your reactions and behavior.

Continuing with the nursing student example, in this stage, you might express how you initially felt anxious and overwhelmed when faced with a demanding patient. You might also discuss how your emotions shifted as you attempted to provide care and communicate effectively.

Stage 3: Evaluation

The Evaluation stage involves a careful analysis of the experience, where you weigh the positives and negatives. Examine what went well and what could have been improved. Consider the advantages and disadvantages of your actions and decisions. This stage prompts you to critically assess your performance and outcomes.

In the nursing scenario, you could evaluate your communication skills, acknowledging that you successfully calmed the patient but also noting that you could have been more efficient in administering care.

Stage 4: Analysis

In the Analysis stage, you go beyond surface-level evaluation and dig deeper into the experience. Analyze the factors that influenced your behavior and decision-making. Consider the underlying assumptions, beliefs, and values that guided your actions. This stage encourages you to apply critical thinking to gain a more profound understanding of your behavior.

Here, you might analyze your tendency to feel pressure to perform perfectly as a nursing student, recognizing that this self-imposed pressure influenced your decision-making during the patient interaction.

Stage 5: Conclusion

The Conclusion stage is where you draw your overall conclusions from the reflection process. Summarize the insights you've gained from the previous stages and identify what you've learned about yourself and your practice. This stage is crucial for synthesizing your reflections into actionable takeaways.

Your conclusion might highlight the importance of effective communication in nursing and your commitment to improving this skill. You might also recognize the value of self-awareness in your growth as a healthcare professional.

Stage 6: Action Plan

The Action Plan stage is the final step in the Gibbs Reflective Cycle. Here, you create a concrete plan for the future based on your reflections. Consider how you can apply what you've learned to improve your future actions and decision-making. This stage is about setting goals and making changes to ensure a more positive and effective experience next time.

Your action plan could involve seeking additional communication training, practicing active listening, and setting specific goals for your next patient interaction to apply your newfound insights effectively.

Applying Gibbs Reflective Model in Practice

Now that you have a solid understanding of the six stages of the Gibbs Reflective Cycle, let's explore how to apply this powerful model in real-life scenarios. Whether you're a healthcare professional, educator, student, or anyone seeking personal growth, using this model effectively can be transformative.

Here's how to put it into practice:

Select a Relevant Experience : Begin by choosing an experience or situation that you want to reflect upon. It could be a challenging patient interaction, a classroom teaching session, or even a personal situation. The key is that the experience should be significant and have the potential for learning and growth.

For example, if you're a teacher reflecting on a lesson that didn't go as planned, describe the classroom setting, the topic of the lesson, the students' reactions, and your teaching methods.

Explore Your Feelings : Move on to the Feelings stage. Reflect on your emotional responses throughout the experience. What were you thinking and feeling at different points? Be honest and open about your emotions, as this is a crucial aspect of reflective practice.
Evaluate Your Actions : In the Evaluation stage, assess your actions and decisions during the experience. What went well, and what could have been improved? Consider the advantages and disadvantages of your choices.
Analyze Your Behavior : Delve deeper in the Analysis stage. Examine the factors that influenced your behavior and decision-making. Were there underlying assumptions, beliefs, or values that guided your actions?
Draw Meaningful Conclusions : In the Conclusion stage, synthesize your reflections into meaningful conclusions. What have you learned about yourself and your practice through this process? Identify key takeaways that you can apply to future situations.

Continuing with the teaching example, your action plan might include trying new teaching methods, seeking mentorship, or attending professional development workshops.

By following these steps, you can apply the Gibbs Reflective Model effectively in your personal and professional life. It's a dynamic framework that fosters self-awareness, critical thinking, and continuous improvement. Whether you're seeking to enhance your healthcare practice, teaching skills, or personal development, the Gibbs Reflective Model is a valuable tool on your journey towards growth.

Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle vs. Gibbs Reflective Model

In the realm of reflective practice and experiential learning, two prominent models often come to the forefront: Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle and the Gibbs Reflective Model. While both are valuable frameworks for learning and personal growth, they approach reflection and learning in distinct ways.

Here, we'll explore the key differences and similarities between these two models:

Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle

For instance, a medical student participates in a clinical rotation, treating patients under supervision.

The medical student reflects on their emotions during patient interactions and evaluates their performance.

The student develops a conceptual framework for patient care based on their observations and evaluations.

The medical student applies their newly developed patient care approach in subsequent clinical rotations.

Gibbs Reflective Model

Description : Gibbs' model begins with a comprehensive description of the experience, akin to Kolb's Concrete Experience. It provides the context and details of the situation.
Feelings : The Feelings stage in Gibbs' model mirrors Kolb's Reflective Observation, focusing on emotional responses and reflections.
Evaluation : Gibbs' Evaluation stage aligns with Kolb's Reflective Observation, as both involve evaluating the experience and identifying strengths and weaknesses.
Analysis : In the Analysis stage, Gibbs' model encourages a deeper exploration of the experience, similar to Kolb's Abstract Conceptualization. It involves critical thinking and understanding underlying factors.
Conclusion : Gibbs' Conclusion stage is where learners draw meaningful conclusions, much like Kolb's Abstract Conceptualization. It synthesizes insights and takeaways from the reflection.
Action Plan : The Action Plan stage in Gibbs' model corresponds to Kolb's Active Experimentation. It's about setting concrete goals and strategies for future actions based on reflections.

In summary, while both Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle and the Gibbs Reflective Model share common elements of reflection and action, they differ in their approach. Kolb's model emphasizes a cyclical process of learning through concrete experience, while Gibbs' model offers a more structured, step-by-step framework for reflection. The choice between these models depends on your learning style and the context in which you're applying reflective practice.

Embracing Gibbs Cycle in Organizational Learning

The Gibbs Reflective Model isn't limited to individual growth; it's also a powerful tool for fostering organizational learning and development. When organizations encourage their members to embrace the reflective process, it can lead to improved practices, enhanced teamwork, and a culture of continuous improvement.

Why Organizational Learning Matters

Organizational learning is the process through which a company or group collectively acquires knowledge, adapts to change, and continuously improves. It involves not only gaining new insights but also applying them to enhance performance. Embracing the Gibbs Reflective Model within an organizational context can yield several benefits:

Improved Problem Solving : By encouraging employees to reflect on their experiences and decisions, organizations can enhance problem-solving skills. The Gibbs model's structured approach allows for a thorough examination of challenges and the development of effective solutions.

For example, a project team reflecting on a project's challenges can identify areas for improvement and adjust their approach for future projects.

Professional Development : Organizations that promote reflective practice invest in the professional development of their employees. This can lead to a more skilled and adaptable workforce.
Adaptation to Change : In today's dynamic business environment, the ability to adapt is crucial. Reflective practice enables organizations to learn from past experiences, making them more resilient to change.

Implementing Gibbs Reflective Model in Organizations

To embrace the Gibbs Reflective Model in organizational learning, consider these steps:

Promote a Reflective Culture : Encourage employees at all levels to engage in reflective practice. Leaders should set an example by sharing their own reflections.
Provide Training : Offer training sessions or workshops on reflective practice. This can help employees understand the model and how to apply it effectively.

For instance, after completing a major project milestone, schedule a reflection session to discuss what went well and what could be improved.

Supportive Feedback : Foster a culture of constructive feedback. Encourage employees to provide feedback to their peers in a respectful and helpful manner.
Document Reflections : Consider implementing a system for documenting reflections. This can serve as a valuable resource for future decision-making and organizational learning.
Celebrate Learning : Recognize and celebrate the lessons learned through reflective practice. Highlight successful outcomes that resulted from reflection.
Continuous Improvement : Use insights gained from reflection to make meaningful changes. Whether it's refining processes or adjusting strategies, ensure that reflection leads to action.

By embracing the Gibbs Reflective Model, organizations can cultivate a learning culture that drives improvement, innovation, and adaptability. It's a powerful approach to harness the collective wisdom and experiences of team members, ultimately contributing to the organization's success.

Reflective practice, as exemplified by the Gibbs Reflective Model, is a dynamic and versatile tool for personal, professional, and organizational growth. Whether you're a healthcare professional, educator, student, or part of a forward-thinking organization, embracing this model can lead to a myriad of benefits:

Enhanced Self-Awareness : Reflective practice encourages you to explore your thoughts, emotions, and actions, resulting in heightened self-awareness.
Continuous Improvement : Through structured reflection, you can identify areas for improvement and develop strategies for growth.
Effective Problem Solving : The model's analytical approach aids in effective problem-solving and decision-making.
Empathy and Understanding : Reflection fosters empathy and understanding, improving interpersonal relationships and teamwork.
Organizational Learning : Organizations can benefit by promoting reflective practice, leading to improved practices, teamwork, and adaptability.

Reflective practice is a journey, not a destination. It's an ongoing process that requires commitment and a willingness to learn from every experience, whether positive or challenging. As you continue to apply the Gibbs Reflective Model or other reflective frameworks, remember these key takeaways:

"Reflection is the bridge between experience and learning. It's the compass guiding your path towards growth."

"In the pursuit of knowledge, self-reflection is the torch that lights the way."

So, embrace the power of reflection, and let it illuminate your path toward personal and professional development. May your journey be filled with insights, growth, and meaningful change.

@2023 Pyrilia.

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Home > Books > New Research in Nursing - Education and Practice

Reflective Approaches in Nursing Education and Clinical Practice

Submitted: 07 December 2022 Reviewed: 06 April 2023 Published: 28 June 2023

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.111548

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Today modern society is becoming more complex and constantly information is changing along with problem solving strategies, reflective learning is an ability to look back over an experience and break it down into its significant aspects, such as any factors affecting success or failure. Due to this complex and continually changing environment, healthcare professionals could benefit from a program of reflective practice. Reflective Practice (DAVIS 2012) 1 is increasing from an experience for any situation, acquisition of new knowledge and skills, further understanding of own beliefs, attitudes and values. This practice involves encouragement of self-motivation and self-directed learning in nursing education and clinical practice.

reflective practice
nursing education
clinical practice
health care professional
reflective approaches

Author Information

Geeta parwanda *.

Faculty of Nursing, Swami Vivekananda Subharti University, Meerut, Uttarpardesh, India

*Address all correspondence to: [email protected]

1. Introduction

Today Modern society is becoming more complex since the Covid-19 pandemic starts the information is becoming more advanced with technology and changing more rapidly leading users to constantly rethink, moving to new direction and adopt problem solving strategies.

Reflective learning is a capacity to look back over an experience and able to analysis in significant way, any factors which affect success or failure.

Learning in reflection will aid in enhancement for own human skill development and finding a clear path between the effort in development activity and outcome of it Reflection also heap in knowing are learning experiences regarding the purpose of activity and its importance ( Figure 1 ). Reflecting on learning enables to link professional development to practical outcomes and widens the definition of what counts as useful activity.

Learning in reflection.

Being is learner in reflective practice. One always try to apply knowledge and practice in further work as learning is always connected to the action and theoretical knowledge to clinical skills.

We can always assess our learning outcome through the feedback from peer group teachers with self assessment. As we understated that reflection is the process which aid to gain meaningful look into are professional practice.

2. Reflective approaches

In nursing education reflective approaches can be used as important tool in clinical practice based where the nursing student learn from their own professional experience, classrooms lecture or mentor which is always helpful in career advancement and adopting same process is able to bring together theory and clinical practice.

As Paterson Chapman [ 1 , 2 ] mentioned that reflection is vital part of learning from experience and mainly lead to develop and maintain completely across a professional’s lifetime in the area of health care. John Dewey was among the first to explain about Reflective Practice with his exploration of experience, connection between incidents as shown in Figure 2 .

Experience and reflective process.

Reflections helps to see and able to mark schools of thought and theory of concept within the context of our work done [ 3 ]. Important point to be noted about reflection during the practice reveals that the individual not only look back on his past activities and the action taken, but also deeply look into observation of emotions shown, previous happenings, actions taken, and its effect and thus lead to higher level of understanding [ 2 ].

Enhance self awareness leader to increases understanding of the effect that past experience may have on care delivery.

To develop nursing students intellectual capacities to conceptualize knowledge to better assess client need.

Acquiring of novice knowledge and clinical practice skill.

Analysis of self and value, core, belief and attitude.

2.1 The various model of reflective practice

Reflective practice applied in disciplines such as teaching, nursing, social work as a way to learn from real life experience. There are many models to explain and guide personal and situational analysis and improvement. The first stage of reflection usually start with the description what has happened and the next stage of reflective practice describe about what we know the situation and what it is impact and the final stage of reflection briefs about the change and outcome of situation as explained in Figure 3 the co-relation of Reflection, learning and action. The structure and format of these modals may have difference but mostly all reflective modals have many common features.

Co-relation of reflection, learning and action.

2.1.1 Gibbs’ reflective cycle or Gibbs’ model of reflection (1988)

Description

Conclusions

Action plan.

Gibbs reflective cycle allows to reflect upon ones experience as they happen and it helps to enhance our performance and for better improvement in future.

2.1.2 Rolfe 2001

2.2 adaptation of the rolfe reflective model.

Rolfe’s reflective model is based on three simple questions what happened, (self awareness) and how it happened (critical analysis and evaluation), and what will be next plan (action oriented), so what and what next (As shown in Figure 4 ). A simplistic cycle composed of three questions which asks the practitioner, by introducing the problem that they are reflecting on before making their observation about the issue and finally concluding what they would change next time Through this analysis, a description of the situation is given which leads into the scrutiny of the situation and the construction of knowledge that has been learn through the experience. The most important advantage of Rolfe model relates to its clarity and simplicity. It often produce meaningful solutions.This models not only consider reflection after the moment but when the event is taking place so that the corrective measure can be taken.

Rolfe reflective framework.

To conclude Rolfe model describe that reflections does not remain superficial but it is comprehensive by completing the simple action plan with key pointers about what we will do and how will decide that our practice has improved.

2.2.1 Ganshirt 2007

The reflective model Christian Ganshirt 2007 was prepared on the concept of the design cycle and the Ganshirt design cycle is explained with the first step begin with any innovative thoughts and next step is using visual and audio aids through same ideas is expressed and transfer in cyclical way with the critical rethinking and the same process goes on.

To summarize these models provide a useful guide or mode to begin but reflection is a unique and innate process and nursing professional will perceive it in a different way. Everyone takes some time to try different reflective approaches until it works positive and effective.As the time passes and as a reflective practitioner that we may try to practice different methods to handle the current situation.

Response to any situation.

Exploration of learner response to same situation.

Analysis of the response and by investigating the action taken.

Indentify the outcome for the future clinical practice.

2.3 Application of reflective learning for health professional

Reflective Practice is always connected with learning from previous experience, and is considered as an important strategy for nursing professionals who believes in learning process in all phases of lives and it is known fact there is always changes in context of healthcare practices leading to continuous progression in medical knowledge hence there is a always remarkable need for experts in medical and nursing education.

Reflective practices seem to be important tool for healthcare professional because of rapid changes in healthcare facilities. Price explained in 2004 [ 5 ] about the benefits of reflective practices for healthcare practitioner by understanding his or her own motive,thoughts,moral and feelings connected with client care and to promote solution to practice situations and meet challenge with existing ideas, response of action taken with positive or negative feeling and also to rethink how the practice situation can be handled in different way.

In the field of nursing profession there is always a concern that actions taken in any situation may have the risk of habitualization, thus dehumanizing client care and their needs. Reflective Practice always aids to nurses are to plan their process of nursing care and keen monitoring the action to ensure it is beneficial to the clients.

The act of reflection is seen as a way of promoting the self decision, qualified and professionals with leadership quality. Involving in Reflective Practice leads to the improvement of the quality of nursing care, enhancing personal and professional growth and reducing the gap between theory and practice. Reflective practices are now being introduced into undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing nursing education. Mann [ 6 ] expressed in her research that in nursing professional in clinical practice reflection process is multi factorial and to include different aspects. All experiences during anticipation of a difficult situation also added to reflection. Practicing professionals always have variation in their attitudes and capability to reflect. Denner [ 7 ] mentioned that reflection has meditation aspect which causes a change in brain alpha and theta wave activity and also increases the right hemisphere brain activity which is connected to our insights and leads to sudden awareness of correct answer to any verbal problem and leads to creativity. Many researchers have proved that self reflection involves the brain’s cortical midline structures (CMS) any disturbance to the CMS causes difficulty in evaluating the difficult situation and there is tendency to overestimate one’s personal abilities [ 8 ].

3. Conclusion

To prevent burnout, nursing professional need to have passion of their profession. Nursing professional at every level after this covid 19 pandemic will need to be more perseverant and passionate with excellence in clinical practice [ 9 ]. Thus reflective learning is important tool to learn and enhance skill competency over time and evaluates our learning experience towards nursing care. Self reflection enhances skills which involve motivation and temperament which are necessary for success in the health care professional.

Acknowledgments

I would like to acknowledge the extraordinary debt I owe to the editor and my special thanks to Paula Gavran, Author Service manager for her continual support. I also thanks to all my reader.

Conflict of interest

I declare no conflict of interest.

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Learn From Your Past Experience with Gibb’s Reflective Cycle
Exploring Different Types of Reflection Models with Examples

You must have heard about Gibbs' reflective cycle. It is a widely prominent reflective cycle that helps individuals to work through past experiences and improve future practices. Gibbs' The reflective cycle was developed by Graham Gibbs in 1988 with the main aim of structuring individual learnings from past experiences (Markkanen et al., 2020). Effective utilization of this cycle offers a wide opportunity to examine past experiences and improve future actions.

Six stages of gibbs' reflective cycle.

Example of Gibbs' reflective cycle

Hence, the efficacious use of Gibbs' reflective cycle helps individuals to learn from past experiences that went well as well as past experiences that did not. The 6 stages of Gibbs' cycle include description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion, and action plan (Smith & Roberts, 2015).

For each step of this framework, you can work on a set of helpful questions given below to properly reflect on your past experiences and situations.

Stage 1: Description

The first step in Gibbs' reflective cycle is a description where you get an opportunity to properly describe a situation based on your experience. The following questions can assist you in describing your experience are

What happened? In this, you will explain the factual information about the experience you want to reflect upon.
Why did it happen? In this, you will underline the main reason behind the occurrence of the event.
What did you do? While answering this question, you will highlight all the actions taken by you.
Who was present? In this, you will highlight all the people that were present during the event.
What were the major outcomes? In this, you will underline the results of the actions that were taken by you.

Using these questions, you will provide complete background information about an incident as well as a factual description of the event you want to reflect upon.

Stage 2: Feelings

The second step in Gibbs’ reflective cycle is an analysis of your feelings where you can describe your thoughts as well as feelings in detail to reflect on the corresponding experience of your feelings. You can reflect on this phase on the basis of a few assisting questions given below:

What did you feel? In this section, you will highlight your feelings during the experience.
Why did you feel this way? You will highlight the major reasons behind feeling the way you were feeling.
How did other external factors influence your feelings? In this section, you will underline the positive or negative influence of other external factors such as the environment, and other involved people on your feelings.
How did other internal factors influence your feelings? In this section, you will highlight the influence of various internal factors such as mindset, attitude, and physical or mental health.

These questions will help you to describe your feelings and the way in detail and will also assist in making the reader understand your emotional aspect from the incident you are reflecting upon.

Stage 3: Evaluation

In the evaluation phase, you get a chance to properly evaluate what worked well and what didn't work well. This phase includes the evaluation of experiences from both good as well as bad points, allowing you to mentally create a report of the experience. Below given are the questions that can be answered in this phase

What worked well? In this, you will highlight the positive outcomes of your actions throughout the experience.
What didn't work well? This will highlight all the negative outcomes of your actions taken by you throughout the experience.
What did you contribute? Through this question, you will highlight your contribution to the whole experience.
What did others contribute? While answering this question, you will highlight the actions of others that were involved in the situation.
What was missing? In this, you will highlight the actions that were missing in the experience as per your opinion.

Based on these questions, you can honestly and objectively evaluate the past situation which will also help you in setting a base for future actions.

Stage 4: Analysis

In an analysis phase, you can make sense of a whole situation and determine the exact meaning of a situation along with the reasons for its success or failure. Some helpful questions for the analysis phase of Gibbs’ reflective cycle include

Why did things not work well? In this, you will point out the reason as per your knowledge that contributed to the failures of your actions in your experience.
Why did things go well? Through this section, you will highlight the reasons behind the success of your actions.
What is the exact meaning that we can drive from a situation? While answering this question, you will highlight the overall analysis of the situation.

Based on the analysis, you can get a clear picture of the situation and ensure that every aspect of the situation is covered and understood meticulously.

Stage 5: Conclusion

After a proper situation analysis, you can also conclude the whole situation by reflecting on your learnings. In this phase, you can highlight changes that you need to make to your actions while dealing with future situations. In this phase, a list of questions includes

What did you learn? In this, you will highlight all of your main learnings of the situation.
What skills do you need to gain to handle situations more effectively? Through this, you will highlight the requirements of the skills for handling the situation better in the future.
What else could you have done to deal with situations differently? In this, you will highlight the alternative actions that you could have taken to respond to the same situation in a different manner.

After the analysis, in the conclusion phase, using the above questions, you will clearly outline your learnings and the skills gained through the experience.

Stage 6: Action plan

In the action plan stage in Gibbs’ reflective cycle, you can plan to deal with future situations. It is an important phase of this reflective cycle as this phase helps to determine ways to deal with similar situations in the future and actions that you need to take to improve your ability to deal with various situations. Some questions that can be considered in this stage include

How will you deal with this situation more effectively in the future? In this, you will highlight the actions that you have thought of that will help you in dealing with a similar situation differently in the future.
How will you develop your skills and abilities to deal with similar situations? In this situation, you will highlight the methods in which you will develop the skills for dealing with situations more effectively.

After understanding the cycle, let us now take an example of reflective practice in health education to reflect on the learning situation using Gibbs’ reflective cycle.

Gibbs’ reflective cycle example in health education

Case assessment - This reflective example will highlight the experience of students in a group task of completing a health project. In this, a student will reflect upon a group task assigned to students during their MSc in health practice.

While doing my MSc in health practice, I was required to engage in various group work assignments and during a certain group work task, my team members decided to divide tasks among group members. All team members encouraged me to divide the tasks among the team. I divided tasks among team members according to their knowledge regarding various healthcare practices to ensure that all tasks are completed within a set deadline. All team members encouraged me to divide the tasks among the team. I divided tasks among team members according to their knowledge regarding various healthcare practices to ensure that all tasks are completed within a set deadline. However, I failed to consider the risk of various contingencies in completing projects and the same occurred when one of our team members was hospitalized due to some health emergency which resulted in a lack of task completion assigned to that team member. My whole team was present when I got a call from the injured team member about the accident that occurred to him. This then resulted in an increased burden to complete tasks among team members and failure to complete a task on time.

Before beginning the health project, I was very confident regarding my team management capabilities. I felt that our team will be able to complete assigned tasks on time due to my strong knowledge and abilities. I was already feeling very guilty that our project got delayed because of my lack of planning but the external factors made me feel even worse. Other than that, I felt like it was my overconfidence that made me feel more guilty because things did not work as planned.

During the group health project, a thing that worked well was the effort of team members to complete work within the extended deadline was cooperation as well as motivation among all team members. However, I believe that the hospitalization of one team member resulted in a lack of task completion on time. I felt that contingency planning is one most important requirement in a team project which was missing in this project. Thus, I believe that I am also responsible for the bad repercussions of this situation as I failed to properly plan and did not consider the risks of contingencies in a group. But still, till the end, everyone contributed effectively and did not lose hope till the end and gave their best.

I think the major reasons behind the successful completion were group efforts, cooperation abilities, self-identification of strengths, effective division of tasks, and ability to help others. However, the only thing that created a problem in completing a project is a lack of time management and planning capabilities. Through this whole experience, I believe that I need to focus on improving my time management skills as well as leading the ability to effectively manage group tasks.

After getting into this group health project, I got to know that time management and contingency planning are important skills that every project manager needs to possess to effectively manage group tasks. I also found that team management is possible only through the cooperation of team members as well as their effort to give the best results to a team project. I learned that as a project manager, it is always better to have a contingency plan ready for implementation than to develop one as risk is taking its toll (Heimann, J. F. 2000). However, I found that various problems can arise in a group task which could be managed effectively by making contingency plans for such situations in advance. I would have prepared contingency plans in the beginning and I believe that it would have helped me in dealing with situations differently.

In order to deal with this situation in the future, I have decided that I will use various time management tools such as PERT and CPM while planning various group tasks to keep separate times for various contingencies. For enhancing my time management and planning skills, I have decided to use time management skills such as making time tables and assigning time blocks for each task. If a similar situation occurs again in the future, I will ensure that in the planning phase only, I take time for contingency planning and plan things accordingly.

How to reference Gibbs reflective cycle?

To reference Gibbs' reflective cycle, include the author's name "Gibbs" and the publication year (if available) in parentheses. For instance, in APA style, it would be: (Gibbs, 1988). If you use a direct quote, add the page number as well.

Can Gibbs' Reflective Model be used in any profession?

Yes, the model is versatile and applicable in various professions and fields, including education, healthcare, social work, and more.

What are the disadvantages of Gibb's reflective cycle?

Gibbs' reflective cycle lacks a strong theoretical foundation and may not suit complex or long-term learning experiences. Some of you may even find its structured approach restrictive that could potentially overlook unique aspects of individual experiences. Additionally, it may not be universally applicable to various learning contexts.

Previous Model

Markkanen, P., Välimäki, M., Anttila, M., & Kuuskorpi, M. (2020). A reflective cycle: Understanding challenging situations in a school setting. Educational Research, 62(1), 46-62. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2020.1711790

Smith, J., & Roberts, R. (2015). Reflective Practice. Vital Signs For Nurses, 222-230. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119139119.ch14

Heimann, J. F. (2000). Contingency planning as a necessity. Paper presented at Project Management Institute Annual Seminars & Symposium, Houston, TX. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.

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Article • 5 min read

Gibbs' Reflective Cycle

Helping people learn from experience.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

Many people find that they learn best from experience.

However, if they don't reflect on their experience, and if they don't consciously think about how they could do better next time, it's hard for them to learn anything at all.

This is where Gibbs' Reflective Cycle is useful. You can use it to help your people make sense of situations at work, so that they can understand what they did well and what they could do better in the future.

What Is Gibbs' Reflective Cycle?

Professor Graham Gibbs published his Reflective Cycle in his 1988 book " Learning by Doing ." It's particularly useful for helping people learn from situations that they experience regularly, especially when these don't go well.

Gibbs' cycle is shown below.

Figure 1 – Gibbs' Reflective Cycle

From "Learning by Doing" by Graham Gibbs. Published by Oxford Polytechnic, 1988.

Gibbs' original model had six stages. The stage we haven't covered here is "Analysis" – we've included this as part of the Evaluation stage.

Using the Model

You can use the model to explore a situation yourself, or you can use it with someone you're coaching – we look at coaching use in this article, but you can apply the same approach when you're on your own.

To structure a coaching session using Gibbs' Cycle, choose a situation to analyze and then work through the steps below.

Step 1: Description

First, ask the person you're coaching to describe the situation in detail. At this stage, you simply want to know what happened – you'll draw conclusions later.

Consider asking questions like these to help them describe the situation:

When and where did this happen?
Why were you there?
Who else was there?
What happened?
What did you do?
What did other people do?
What was the result of this situation?

Step 2: Feelings

Next, encourage them to talk about what they thought and felt during the experience. At this stage, avoid commenting on their emotions.

Use questions like these to guide the discussion:

What did you feel before this situation took place?
What did you feel while this situation took place?
What do you think other people felt during this situation?
What did you feel after the situation?
What do you think about the situation now?
What do you think other people feel about the situation now?

It might be difficult for some people to talk honestly about their feelings. Use Empathic Listening at this stage to connect with them emotionally, and to try to see things from their point of view.

You can use the Perceptual Positions technique to help this person see the situation from other people's perspectives.

Step 3: Evaluation

Now you need to encourage the person you're coaching to look objectively at what approaches worked, and which ones didn't.

What was positive about this situation?
What was negative?
What went well?
What didn't go so well?
What did you and other people do to contribute to the situation (either positively or negatively)?

If appropriate, use a technique such as the 5 Whys to help your team member uncover the root cause of the issue.

Step 4: Conclusions

Once you've evaluated the situation, you can help your team member draw conclusions about what happened.

Encourage them to think about the situation again, using the information that you've collected so far. Then ask questions like these:

How could this have been a more positive experience for everyone involved?
If you were faced with the same situation again, what would you do differently?
What skills do you need to develop, so that you can handle this type of situation better?

Step 5: Action

You should now have some possible actions that your team member can take to deal with similar situations more effectively in the future.

In this last stage, you need to come up with a plan so that they can make these changes.

Once you've identified the areas they'll work on, get them to commit to taking action, and agree a date on which you will both review progress.

Frequently Asked Questions About Gibbs' Reflective Cycle

What is purpose of Gibbs' Reflective Cycle?

The reflective cycle is a way to better learn from experience. It can be used to help people learn from mistakes, to make sense of situations, and analyse and refelct on their reactions to different situations.

What are the six stages of reflection?

The stages of Gibbs' Reflective Cycle are the following: descrition, feelings, evaluation, conclusion, and action. In the original model Gibbs included a sixth stage, analysis, which we've included in the evaluation stage.

What is the difference between Gibbs and Kolb's reflective cycles?

David Kolb's cycle has only four stages: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation. Kolb's model is more about explaining the concept of what he calls "experiential learning" – whereas Gibbs' cycle is an attempt to provide a practical method for learning from experience.

This tool is structured as a cycle, reflecting an ongoing coaching relationship. Whether you use it this way depends on the situation and your relationship with the person being coached.

Graham Gibbs published his Reflective Cycle in 1988. There are five stages in the cycle:

Description.
Evaluation.
Conclusions.

You can use it to help team members think about how they deal with situations, so that they can understand what they did wel and where they need to improve.

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Gibbs' Reflective Cycle

May 9, 2023

Delve into Gibbs' Reflective Cycle, a powerful tool fostering critical thinking, deep learning, and professional growth through reflection.

Main, P (2023, May 09). Gibbs' Reflective Cycle. Retrieved from https://www.structural-learning.com/post/gibbs-reflective-cycle

What is Gibbs' Reflective Cycle?

Gibbs' Reflective Cycle is a popular model for reflection, acting as a structured method to enable individuals to think systematically about the experiences they had during a specific situation.

Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle is a widely used and accepted model of reflection . Developed by Graham Gibbs in 1988 at Oxford Polytechnic, now Oxford Brookes University, this reflective cycle framework is widely used within various fields such as healthcare, education, and management to enhance professional and personal development . It has since become an integral part of reflective practice, allowing individuals to reflect on their experiences in a structured way.

The cycle consists of six stages which must be completed in order for the reflection to have a defined purpose. The first stage is to describe the experience. This is followed by reflecting on the feelings felt during the experience, identifying what knowledge was gained from it, analyzing any decisions made in relation to it and considering how this could have been done differently.

The final stage of the cycle is to come up with a plan for how to approach similar experiences in future.

Gibbs' Reflective Cycle encourages individuals to consider their own experiences in a more in-depth and analytical way, helping them to identify how they can improve their practice in the future.

A survey from the British Journal of Midwifery found that 63% of healthcare professionals regularly used Gibbs' Reflective Cycle as a tool for reflection.

"Reflection is a critical component of professional nursing practice and a strategy for learning through practice. This integrative review synthesizes the literature on nursing students’ reflection on their clinical experiences." – Beverly J. Bowers, RN, PhD

The Six Stages of Gibbs' Reflective Cycle

The Gibbs reflective cycle consists of six distinct stages: Description, Feelings, Evaluation, Analysis, Conclusion, and Action Plan. Each stage prompts the individual to examine their experiences through questions designed to incite deep and critical reflection. For instance, in the 'Description' stage, one might ask: "What happened?". This questioning method encourages a thorough understanding of both the event and the individual's responses to it.

To illustrate, let's consider a student nurse reflecting on an interaction with a patient. In the 'Description' stage, the student might describe the patient's condition, their communication with the patient, and the outcome of their interaction. Following this, they would move on to the 'Feelings' stage, where they might express how they felt during the interaction, perhaps feeling confident, anxious, or uncertain.

The 'Evaluation' stage would involve the student reflecting on their interaction with the patient, considering how they could have done things differently and what went well. In the 'Analysis' stage, the student might consider the wider implications of their actions and how this impacted on the patient's experience.

Finally, in the 'Conclusion' stage, the student would summarise their reflections by noting what they have learned from the experience. They would then set an 'Action Plan' for how they will apply this newfound knowledge in their future practice.

Gibbs' Reflective Cycle is a useful tool for nurses to utilize in order to reflect on their past experiences and improve their practice. By using reflective questions , nurses can actively engage in reflection and identify areas for improvement.

Description : Start by objectively recounting the experience. Helpful questions to ask include: What happened? Who was involved? When and where did this occur?
Feelings : Capture your emotional response to the experience. It's essential to acknowledge both positive and negative emotions, as they significantly affect our interpretation of the event.
Evaluation : Assess the good and bad aspects of the experience. What worked well, and what didn't? What were the positive impacts and negative consequences?
Analysis : Dig deeper into understanding why things unfolded as they did. This analysis stage is where you draw on relevant literature and professional knowledge to interpret the experience.
Conclusion : Determine what you could have done differently and what you've learned from the experience.
Action Plan : Develop a plan detailing what you'll do if a similar situation arises in the future.

Examples of the Reflective Model in Practice

The Gibbs Reflective Cycle, a model of reflection, can be a powerful tool for learning and personal development across various vocations. Here are five fictional examples:

Nursing : A nurse named Jane had a challenging interaction with a patient. Using the Gibbs Reflective Cycle, she first described the situation and her initial reactions. She then reflected on her feelings, identifying negative emotions that arose. During the analysis stage, she realized that her communication skills needed improvement. She concluded that better communication could have led to a more positive outcome. Finally, she developed a personal development plan to improve her communication skills, demonstrating the positive impacts of deep level reflection.
Teaching : A teacher, Mr. Smith, had difficulty managing his classroom . He used the Gibbs Reflective Cycle to reflect on a particularly chaotic day. He identified negative aspects of his classroom management strategy and, through critical thinking, realized that he needed to set clearer expectations for his students. He then developed a plan to implement these changes, showing how the approach to reflection can lead to actionable improvements .
Customer Service : Sarah, a customer service representative, received constructive feedback from a customer who was dissatisfied with the service. She used the Gibbs Reflective Cycle to reflect on the interaction, identifying her feelings of disappointment and analyzing what went wrong. She concluded that she needed to improve her problem-solving skills and developed a plan to do so.
Management : A manager, Tom, struggled with delegating tasks to his team. He used the Gibbs Reflective Cycle to reflect on a project that was delayed due to his reluctance to delegate. He identified his fear of losing control as a negative emotion and realized during the analysis stage that trust in his team was crucial. He then developed a plan to practice delegation in future projects.
Counseling : A counselor, Dr. Lee, felt that her recent sessions with a client were not productive. She used the Gibbs Reflective Cycle to reflect on these sessions . She identified feelings of frustration and, upon analysis, realized that she needed to adjust her counseling techniques to better suit her client's needs. She then developed a plan to implement these changes.

These examples illustrate how the Gibbs Reflective Cycle can facilitate learning and reflection across different vocations, leading to personal and professional growth.

An Exploration of Gibbs' Model

Gibbs' Reflective Cycle offers a structured approach to reflection, making it a helpful tool for educators and learners alike. The model encourages critical reflection , stimulating the ability to analyze experiences through questions and transform them into valuable learning opportunities.

Experiential Learning , a concept closely tied with reflection, suggests that we learn from our experiences, particularly when we engage in reflection and active experimentation . Gibbs' model bridges the gap between theory and practice, offering a framework to capture and analyze experiences in a meaningful way.

By using Gibbs' model, educators can guide students through their reflective process , helping them extract valuable lessons from their positive and negative experiences.

Application of Gibbs' Reflective Cycle in Real-World Scenarios

The flexibility and simplicity of Gibbs' Reflective Cycle make it widely applicable in various real-world scenarios, from personal situations to professional practice.

For instance, Diana Eastcott, a nursing educator, utilized Gibbs' model to facilitate her students' reflection on their clinical practice experience. The students were encouraged to reflect on their clinical experiences, analyze their reactions and feelings, and construct an action plan for future patient interactions. This process not only enhanced their professional knowledge but also fostered personal growth and emotional resilience.

In another example, Bob Farmer, a team leader in a tech company, used Gibbs' Cycle to reflect on a project that didn't meet expectations. He guided his team through the reflective process, helping them identify areas for improvement and develop strategies for better future outcomes.

These scenarios underline the versatility of Gibbs' model, demonstrating its value in both educational and professional settings.

( Gibbs Reflective Cycle , University of Northampton, https://www.northampton.ac.uk )
( Gibbs' Reflective Cycle , Oxford Brookes University, https://www.brookes.ac.uk )
( Reflective Practice , San Francisco State University, https://www.sfsu.edu )

Gibbs' Reflective Cycle for Personal and Professional Development

The use of Gibbs' Reflective Cycle can have profound effects on personal and professional development. It aids in recognizing strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement, providing an avenue for constructive feedback and self-improvement.

In the context of professional development , Gibbs' model promotes continuous learning and adaptability. By transforming bad experiences into learning opportunities, individuals can enhance their competencies and skills , preparing them for similar future situations.

Moreover, the reflective cycle promotes emotional intelligence by encouraging individuals to explore their feelings and reactions to different experiences. Acknowledging and understanding negative emotions can lead to increased resilience, better stress management, and improved interpersonal relationships.

Transforming Experiences into Learning: The Role of Gibbs' Reflective Cycle

Gibbs' Reflective Cycle is a practical tool that transforms experiences into learning. It incorporates principles of Experiential Learning and emphasizes the importance of abstract conceptualization and active experimentation in the learning process.

In the field of education, Gibbs' model can significantly influence teaching methods. It encourages educators to incorporate reflective practices in their teaching methods, promoting a deeper understanding of course material and facilitating the application of theoretical knowledge in practical scenarios.

Moreover, the model can be used to encourage students to reflect on their experiences, both within and outside the classroom, and learn from them. This process fosters critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and personal growth, equipping students with the skills they need for lifelong learning.

Embracing Gibbs cycle in your organisation

Here's a list of guidance tips for organizations interested in embracing Gibbs' Reflective Cycle as their professional development model.

Understanding the Gibbs Reflective Cycle : Before implementing, ensure that everyone in the organization understands the Gibbs Reflective Cycle model. This model consists of six stages: Description, Feelings, Evaluation, Analysis, Conclusion, and Action Plan. The goal is to encourage deep level reflection on experiences to foster learning and improve future actions.
Promote a Culture of Reflection : Encourage everyone in the organization to incorporate reflection into their daily routine. Reflection should not be seen as an added task, but rather as an integral part of the professional development process.
Use Real-Life Situations : For the methods in education to be effective, use real-life situations when applying the Gibbs Reflective Cycle. This way, employees can relate to the experiences, making the reflection process more relevant and meaningful.
Encourage Sharing of Reflections : Create a safe space for individuals to share their reflections. This could be through team meetings, one-on-one sessions with managers, or through online platforms. Sharing allows for collective learning and may provide different perspectives on the same situation.
Integrate Reflective Practice in Training Programs : Use the Gibbs Reflective Cycle in training programs. After each training session, encourage participants to go through the reflective cycle. This can help them understand the training content better and apply it in their work.
Link Reflection to Personal Development : Connect the outcome of the reflection to personal development plans. The Action Plan stage of the cycle should feed into the individual's personal development plan, helping them identify areas of strength and areas needing improvement.
Provide Guidance and Support : Provide guidance and support in the early stages of implementing the Gibbs Reflective Cycle. This could include providing templates or guides, or offering training on how to use the model effectively.
Continuous Review and Feedback : Regularly review the use of the Gibbs Reflective Cycle in your organization and provide feedback. This will help ensure that the model is being used effectively and is helping individuals in their professional development.
Model Reflective Practice : Leaders and managers should model reflective practice themselves. This shows that the organization values reflective practice and can motivate employees to engage in it themselves.
Celebrate Success : Recognize and celebrate when reflective practice leads to positive changes or improvements. This can motivate employees to continue using the Gibbs Reflective Cycle in their professional development.

What is the Difference Between Kolb's and Gibbs' Reflective Cycle?

Both Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory and Gibbs' Reflective Cycle are influential learning methods used extensively in education and professional development. While they share similarities, such as promoting a cyclical learning process and fostering a deeper understanding of experiences, there are key differences.

Kolb's cycle consists of four stages: Concrete Experience, Reflective Observation, Abstract Conceptualization, and Active Experimentation. It focuses more on the transformation of direct experience into knowledge, emphasizing the role of experience in learning.

On the other hand, Gibbs' cycle, with its six stages, places a greater emphasis on emotions and their impact on learning. For example, a team leader might use Kolb's cycle to improve operational skills after a failed project, focusing on what happened and how to improve. However, using Gibbs' cycle, the same leader would also reflect on how the failure made them feel, and how those feelings might have influenced their decision-making.

Other notable Learning Methods and Cycles

Please note that each of these theories or models has been developed and refined over time, and they each have their own strengths and weaknesses depending on the specific learning context or goals.

Adopting the Cycle in Education

Gibbs' Reflective Cycle is an invaluable tool for nurturing professional skills and fostering personal growth. By systematically integrating this reflective model into educational practices, institutions can significantly enhance their students' professional development.

Here are seven innovative ways educational institutions can harness the power of Gibbs' Reflective Cycle to boost skill acquisition , operational proficiency, leadership capabilities, and personal skills mastery.

Incorporate Reflective Practice in Curriculum: Educational institutions can incorporate Gibbs' Reflective Cycle into their curriculum, making it a regular part of learning. This can encourage students to develop professional skills by continually reflecting on their experiences and learning from them.
Real-World Scenarios: By using real-world situations or case studies, educational institutions can provide practical instances for students to apply the reflective cycle. This will help them understand the type of situation they might encounter in their professional life and how to handle it.
Promote Skill Acquisition: Gibbs' cycle can be used as a tool for skill acquisition. By reflecting on their performance in various tasks and projects, students can identify their strengths and areas that need improvement. This can aid in the development of operational skills, leadership skills, and personal skills.
Professional Development Workshops: Educational institutions can organize workshops that focus on the application of Gibbs' Reflective Cycle for professional development. These workshops could provide hands-on training on how to use the cycle effectively.
Reflective Journals: Encourage students to keep a reflective journal. This practice can help students regularly apply Gibbs' cycle, promoting introspection, and the development of key leadership skills.
Mentorship Programs: Implement mentorship programs where experienced professionals guide students in applying Gibbs' Reflective Cycle. This can provide students with valuable insights into how reflective practice can enhance their professional skills.
Assessments Based on Reflection: Design assessments that value reflective practice. Instead of solely focusing on theoretical knowledge, consider students' ability to reflect on their experiences and learn from them. This approach can make learning more engaging and relevant to real-world situations.

In the journey of life and work, we continuously encounter new situations, face challenges, and make decisions that shape our personal and professional trajectory. It's in these moments that Gibbs' Reflective Cycle emerges as a guiding compass, providing a structured framework to analyze experiences, draw insights, and plan our future course of action.

Underlying the model is the philosophy of lifelong learning. By encouraging critical reflection, it empowers us to not just passively experience life, but to actively engage with it, to question, and to learn. It's through this reflection that we move from the realm of 'doing' to 'understanding', transforming experiences into knowledge.

Moreover, the model emphasizes the importance of an action-oriented approach. It propels us to use our reflections to plan future actions, promoting adaptability and growth. Whether you're an educator using the model to enhance your teaching methods , a student exploring the depths of your learning process, or a professional striving for excellence in your field, Gibbs' Reflective Cycle can be a powerful tool.

In an ever-changing world, where the pace of change is accelerating, the ability to learn, adapt, and evolve is paramount. Reflective practices, guided by models such as Gibbs', provide us with the skills and mindset to navigate this change effectively. They empower us to learn from our past, be it positive experiences or negative experiences, and use these lessons to shape our future.

From fostering personal growth and emotional resilience to enhancing professional practice and shaping future outcomes , the benefits of Gibbs' Reflective Cycle are manifold. As we continue our journey of growth and learning, this model serves as a beacon, illuminating our path and guiding us towards a future of continuous learning and development.

Reflection in Learning and Professional Development
The Reflective Practitioner
Reflective Practice: The Teacher in the Mirror
The Impact of Reflective Practice on Teaching Effectiveness
Reflective Practice: A Guide for Nurses and Midwives
Reflective practice in nursing
Learning by Doing: A Guide to Teaching and Learning Methods
Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle

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Health and Safety Advice in a Fast Changing World

Nurses and Midwives Reflection Process

Nurses and Midwives in the UK are formally required to record 5 pieces of reflection on either continuing professional development (CPD) or practice related feedback to improve their nursing practice.

Here I start with the theory of reflection (see Framework image) and then give an example from my own nursing history of an awful incident – one I will never forget.

If you don’t want the theory (and let’s face it who does?); scroll down to my real-life example and see how I have applied the Gibbs theory model to a terrible incident which almost made me give up nursing.

Let’s Get Started

To see if Gibbs reflective cycle can help you reflect on aspects of your practice, recall a nursing situation that didn’t turn out as you expected or go to plan.

Look at the Gibbs Model flow chart above –

Stage 1 – Description (Pure Facts)

The first step is to describe what you know. Ask yourself the following questions:

What are the brief facts of the situation?
What occurred? Who was involved?
What did you do? What did others do?

Stage 2 – Description – (Feelings)

How were you feeling at the time?
Were there influences affecting others actions/behaviour?
Were there any known or perceived difficulties with the activity, timing, location, information or resources etc.?

Stage 3 – Evaluation

What was good and bad about the experience
How might the facts and feelings (from stage 1 and 2 above) have affected your actions/behaviour
What other circumstances may have affected your actions or thoughts?
How issues might influence the activity or practice related feedback?

Stage 4 – Analysis

Why you picked this incident to reflect on?
What sense can you make of it? Does it make sense given the preceding 3 stages?
What is the main area of concern or focus on the future?

Stage 5 – Conclusions

What have you discovered?
What have you learned from this incident and circumstances?
What questions remain?

Stage 6 – Now What? (Action)

You have analysed the incident and want to make sure you improve your practice for next time, so need to move into the action planning stage:

What will I do differently from now on or the next time this arises?
What resources/help will you need?

Gibbs, (1988) Learning by Doing: A Guide to Teaching and Learning Methods Further Education Unit, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford.

Example Reflection – Sadly, a real story!

Night duty drug round.

I am a third-year student nurse ‘in charge’ on night duty, in a London hospital, with a junior nurse to deal with 23 pretty sick people in this medical ward. A doctor asked me to give a patient (Mrs X,) 0.1 mg of Digoxin (a heart stimulant – steady, slows and strengthens the heartbeat) to relieve symptoms of severe congestive cardiac failure and difficulty breathing. I had never given such a high dose of Digoxin before and measured 4 tabs from the 0.25 mg bottle. I checked the script and the tablets with both the doctor, who nodded, and my junior nurse. We were all in agreement. I checked Mrs X’s pulse rate (standard practice for Digoxin), which was in the OK range, before giving the tablets. I kept Mrs X on hourly observations after.

At about 2 am I suddenly realised I had given 10 times the amount of Digoxin as stated on the Doctors script. In horror, I called the night sister who agreed with me. We filled in an incident form, informed the doctor and Mrs X’s relatives of what happened. Petrified, I was told to go see the hospital matron in the morning.

Mrs X did not seem to suffer any ill effects from the Digoxin during the night and went on to make a full recovery.

I had been on nights for a long stretch. It was a very busy ward with only two-night staff and I was “in charge”. Mrs X was very ill and needed constant monitoring.

I had only ever seen 0.25mgs of Digoxin tablets and did not know there was a paediatric blue table of 0.1 mg made. I was very reluctant to give such a big dose which is why I checked the four tablets of .25 with the doctor who looked at the tablets and said OK. I was nervous about the dosage being so high and took Mrs X’s pulse for much longer than the customary 15 seconds.

The doctor too was under tremendous strain, his beeper kept going off and he was rushing about all over the place. I had never met him before. He had recently come from a paediatric ward.

Nobody ever blamed me for the incident, neither did they reassure me. Mrs X went on to make a full recovery and the relatives were very understanding about the situation which was a relief. Matron was kind to me and impressed I had owned up to the error – nobody would have ever known, she said.

I felt absolutely terrified about the error though and watched Mrs X all night for signs of overdose. I didn’t sleep all the next day and returned to my next night shift to find Mrs X better.

This incident really frightened me because I had done everything right – I had checked the dosage with both the Doctor and the junior nurse. I had not known that you could get a 0.1 mg of Digoxin or it was blue. I have no idea what prompted me to think about the overdose later on that night except that I had been very reluctant to give it. The Doctor agreed I had shown him 4 white tablets who said “I thought you knew what you were doing” Which isn’t any sort of answer really. Yet he didn’t get in trouble (like me) at all for overseeing and agreeing my mistake.

I also realised how dependant patients are on the care and insights of the medical profession and the trust they put in us; I’d let Mrs X down.

I believe that this incident was down to a series of incidents linked to overwork, tiredness and misunderstandings. Plus if I’d known the Doctor better I might have had a conversation about the dose.

I was so relieved that Mrs X survived the overdose and the relatives were understanding but, if she had a serious reaction or even died, I’m not sure I could have carried on nursing.

I have learnt to be more careful with drugs and to really understand the dosage. If necessary now I will look up the drug in the reference books before I give them because it is my responsibility if I do it wrong.

I will always be ultra-careful with new drug scripts in the future and if I am nervous, then to go with my gut feeling and check and check again. Although, as I said to Matron, at the time I’d felt as if I done as much as I could have.

Also, if nurses in my team are involved in incidents where they have made a clinical mistake, I am always on hand to offer support and give them an opportunity to talk to me.

I never want another nurse to go through what I went through alone and I definitely do not want to harm anyone in my care.

Linked to NMC Code of Practice 14 – “Preserving Safety”

Further information.

British National Formulary (BNF) the drugs’ bible in the UK, available online with a subscription

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Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle

What is the gibbs' reflective cycle.

The Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle is a Tool that helps professionals Grow and Learn from their past Experiences .

To do this, it proposes to analyze the Situations in which someone wants to Improve.

Drawing Conclusions that allow us to do things better in the future.

It consists of 6 Repetitive Steps (a cycle):

Description .
Evaluation .
Conclusion .
Action Plan .

This cycle must be repeated until Obtaining the Desired Results .

The Six Steps of Gibbs' Reflective Cycle

1. Description : Describe in detail the Situation in which you want to improve .

A Negotiation, A Decision you made, a Discussion with your employees, etc.

2. Feelings : Reflect on How you Felt in that Situation, How you Coped with it.

Did you feel Insecure? Did you feel Determined? Did you Hesitate?

3. Evaluation : Evaluate the Experience and its Outcome , Objectively.

What Consequences did it have, What worked, What did not, etc.

4. Analysis : Analyze the Reasons that explain the Result of this Situation.

Why something worked or didn’t work. Why you Made that Decision, etc.

5. Conclusion : Get the Lessons from this Analysis; How to do things better.

What could have been done better? What could be done in a different way?

6. Action Plan : Develop and Implement a Plan to do things better.

Applying the Conclusions obtained in this Cycle.

Repeat the Cycle until Reaching the Desired Results .

Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle Template

Now, before sharing some examples , we want to explain one important thing:

How to use this Cycle .

We know that it can get a bit Confusing (Feelings, Action Plan, etc).

That is why we’ll offer you a Guideline that you can Follow .

It can be used for your Personal Analysis or, in Coaching Situations.

How to use the Gibbs Reflective Cycle

Description : Details are important, as is the Context of any Situation.

The Place and People Involved.
What Interactions happened.

Feelings : They Can give us a Clue as to what we need to Improve .

If we feel Insecure, it is usually because we do not know the Subject well enough.
What made you feel Uncomfortable?
What made you feel Determined?

Evaluation : Here, you should not try to find Reasons , only Facts .

What worked, What didn’t work, and under What Circumstances.
The Outcome: What happened After the Situation?

Analysis : Now it is the time to find the Whys .

Why is the Reason something Worked? The Root Cause.
Potential Root causes causing you a Problem.

Conclusions : Time to “Connect the Dots” and obtain Solid Conclusions .

What Solid Conclusions have you Obtained?
What Could have been done better?

Action Plan : Now, you have to put things into Practice .

Set Specific, Measurable, Realistic and Time-Related Goals.
Use Objective Metrics.

Let’s see some examples:

Gibbs Reflective Cycle examples

Now, let’s Imagine that you have recently been Promoted to Manager .

You are very happy about it, but you do not feel very Comfortable when you face your employees .

Sometimes you have to impose yourself, so that what you say is done.

Also, it is something you would like to Improve on .

That is Why you decided to use Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle .

Let’s see How you use it:

Description - Gibbs Reflective Cycle example

The Situation in which you want to Improve :

It is You and your Employees (no matter Who).
You are In front of them alone or in a collective meeting.
You Want things to be done in a New way.
You Tell them how they have to do things from now on .

Feelings - Gibbs Reflective Cycle example

After thinking Carefully about it, you Discover that you Felt :

Anxious about Compelling People to do Something.
Insecure about you Authority.
Determined about the Need of doing the Things in a New Way.

Evaluation - Gibbs Reflective Cycle example

You then Evaluate what happens in these Situations :

You Compel your employees to do what you say.
They obey you.
Those who know you best Respond much better to your Commands .
Those who don’t know you are more Reluctant to change .

Analysis - Gibbs Reflective Cycle example

Now, you start thinking about the Whys :

This makes you Feel Insecure.
They don’t make you Feel Anxious or Insecure .
That and , the fact that you are New in the Position .

Conclusion - Gibbs Reflective Cycle example

You Obtain important Conclusions from this Analysis :

Or People that don’t know your Skills when making decisions.

This People are Reluctant to “obey” you, and make you Feel Insecure and Anxious.

So they will Trust you more.
And they will Trust your Authority more.

Action Plan - Gibbs Reflective Cycle example

Finally, you decide to Develop an Action Plan :

Starting with those who know you least.
Comparing the Previous Results with the Current ones.

You Estimate that you will need 2 months to have met with all your employees.

And decide if you need to repeat this Cycle again.

The Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle is a Tool that helps professionals Grow and Learn from their past Experiences.

Consists of 6 Repetitive Steps that must be repeated until getting the desired Results:

Description : Describe in detail the Situation in which you want to improve.
Feelings : Reflect on How you Felt in that Situation, How you Coped with it.
Evaluation : Evaluate the Experience and its Outcome, Objectively.
Analysis : Analyze the Reasons that explain the Result of this Situation.
Conclusion : Get the Lessons from this Analysis; How to do things better.
Action Plan : Develop and Implement a Plan to do things better.
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Gibbs Cycle: Reflecting on Cultural Competence in Nursing Practice

Added on 2023-06-13

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Gibbs Reflection on Clinical Placement Experiences lg ...

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Gibbs' Reflective Cycle
The Gibbs Reflective Cycle is one of the most commonly used reflective cycles used by those studying to be a nurse. This model of reflection will help you critically analyse your experiences. ... Gibbs' reflective cycle, was originally devised for nursing, but - like Rolfe's model of reflection - has become popular across many disciplines, and ...
Elevation through reflection: closing the circle to improve
Gibbs Reflective Cycle Model. Other models, such as Gibbs' Reflective Cycle Model (Table 3) from the literature of teacher education, include more stages—"Description," "Feelings," "Evaluation," "Analysis," "Conclusion," and "Action Plan"—and provide guiding questions to foster a more complete reflection . Even with ...
Reflective practice: a learning tool for student nurses
Abstract. Reflection is a vital skill in contemporary nursing with student nurses expected to engage in reflective learning from the very beginning of the nurse educational programme. This article demonstrates the meaningful learning that resulted as a consequence of using critical reflection on practice. Gibbs' (1988) cycle aided the process ...
Gibbs Reflective Cycle
Gibbs Reflective Cycle. Author: Clare Hopkinson. Reflection is a key aspect of the personal and professional development that nurses are required to undertake to keep pace with the changing nature of practice. It helps ensure safe and effective evidence-based care by allowing nurses to constantly improve their skills.
Gibbs' Reflective Cycle
Overview. Gibbs' Reflective Cycle was developed by Graham Gibbs in 1988 to give structure to learning from experiences. It offers a framework for examining experiences, and given its cyclic nature lends itself particularly well to repeated experiences, allowing you to learn and plan from things that either went well or didn't go well.
Development and Implementation of a Reflective Writing Assignment for
An example of a study that examined the impact of Gibbs' Reflective Cycle on medical students was documented in Dhaliwal et al. (2018) where they piloted a reflective assignment in which medical students were introduced to Gibbs' Reflective Cycle during a half-day workshop and subsequently submitted reflective narratives based on a doctor ...
PDF Using Gibbs Example of reflective writing in a healthcare assignment (3)
Ce n t re f o r A ca d e mi c De ve l o p me n t Using Gibbs: Example of reflective writing in a healthcare assignment. Description. I n a placement during my second year when I was working on a surgical ward, I was working under t he supervision of my ment or, caring f or a sevent y-t wo year old gent leman, Mr K han (pseudonym), who had ...
Understanding the Gibbs Reflective Model: A Framework for Personal and
Introduction. Reflective practice is a cornerstone of personal and professional growth, providing a structured approach to learning from our experiences. Among the various frameworks available, the Gibbs Reflective Model stands out as a powerful tool for self-improvement. Whether you're a student, educator, healthcare professional, or anyone ...
Reflective Approaches in Nursing Education and Clinical Practice
2.1.1 Gibbs' reflective cycle or Gibbs' model of reflection (1988) ... to continuous progression in medical knowledge hence there is a always remarkable need for experts in medical and nursing education. Reflective practices seem to be important tool for healthcare professional because of rapid changes in healthcare facilities.
PDF Reflective practice: a learning tool for student nurses
Abstract. Reflection is a vital skill in contemporary nursing with student nurses expected to engage in reflective learning from the very beginning of the nurse educational programme. This article demonstrates the meaningful learning that resulted as a consequence of using critical reflection on practice. Gibbs' (1988) cycle aided the process ...
Master of nursing specialist experiences of an internship through the
The reflective diary based on Gibbs's framework is used as the original material for this study. In diary writing, the study adopted the structure of Gibbs's reflective cycle, which consists of six modules: reflection, description, feeling, evaluation, analysis, conclusion, and action plan [2,15].
Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing 38(4) • 2020.384.395 ...
Gibbs Reflective Cycle Gibbs Reflective Cycle,developed in 1988, is a systematic, logical and cyclical process encompassing six stages which is demonstrated below. The example below provides a sample reflection, using the Gibbs' model, to highlight how a model can be used to foster self-reflection.10 This reflective cycle
The ultimate guide for understanding Gibb's Reflective Cycle
Gibbs' The reflective cycle was developed by Graham Gibbs in 1988 with the main aim of structuring individual learnings from past experiences (Markkanen et al., 2020). Effective utilization of this cycle offers a wide opportunity to examine past experiences and improve future actions. Hence, the efficacious use of Gibbs' reflective cycle helps ...
PDF NUR1201 Improving the Patient Experience Through Reflection
The following six stage reflective cycles is an adaption of Gibbs reflective (1988) model. Adapted from: Burns, S. & Bulman, C. (2000) (Eds.), Reflective practice in nursing: The growth of the professional practitioner(2nd ed.) Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publications. Stage 1: Description Stage 2: Feelings Stage 3: Values & Beliefs Stage 4 ...
Reflective Practice and Its Role in Simulation
Gibbs's reflective cycle is a theoretical framework comprised of six stages and can be used during structured debriefing to guide reflection. The aim of the article was to provide an overview of Gibbs's reflective cycle and its application to debriefing during SBE. ... Nursing & Health Sciences, Monash University, Victoria 3168, Australia ...
Gibbs Cycle tutorial- Writing reflections for nursing and midwifery
This tutorial explains what the Gibb's Cycle is, why we use it, and how to write reflective assignments effectively.
Reflective practice in health care and how to reflect effectively
Introduction. Reflective practice is something most people first formally encounter at university. This may be reflecting on a patient case, or an elective, or other experience. However, what you may not have considered is that you have been subconsciously reflecting your whole life: thinking about and learning from past experiences to avoid ...
Gibbs' Reflective Cycle
Professor Graham Gibbs published his Reflective Cycle in his 1988 book " Learning by Doing ." It's particularly useful for helping people learn from situations that they experience regularly, especially when these don't go well. Gibbs' cycle is shown below. Figure 1 - Gibbs' Reflective Cycle. Figure 1 - Gibbs' Reflective Cycle.
Gibbs' Reflective Cycle
Gibbs' Reflective Cycle is a popular model for reflection, acting as a structured method to enable individuals to think systematically about the experiences they had during a specific situation.. Gibbs' Reflective Cycle is a widely used and accepted model of reflection.Developed by Graham Gibbs in 1988 at Oxford Polytechnic, now Oxford Brookes University, this reflective cycle framework is ...
Gibbs Model and Applied Example
Let's Get Started. To see if Gibbs reflective cycle can help you reflect on aspects of your practice, recall a nursing situation that didn't turn out as you expected or go to plan. Look at the Gibbs Model flow chart above -. Stage 1 - Description (Pure Facts) The first step is to describe what you know.
The Gibbs Reflective Cycle
Here are the key things to remember about using the Gibbs reflective cycle: It has six steps - describe, feelings, evaluate, analyse, conclusion, action plan. It structures reflections by moving from facts to analysis and meaning-making. Reflect soon after complex or emotional experiences.
Gibbs' Reflective Cycle explained with lots of Examples.
The Gibbs' Reflective Cycle is a Tool that helps professionals Grow and Learn from their past Experiences. To do this, it proposes to analyze the Situations in which someone wants to Improve. Drawing Conclusions that allow us to do things better in the future. It consists of 6 Repetitive Steps (a cycle): Description. Feelings.
Gibbs Cycle: Reflecting on Cultural Competence in Nursing Practice
This article discusses the use of Gibbs reflective cycle to reflect on cultural competence in nursing practice. It covers the stages of the cycle and how it can help healthcare professionals develop new insights and skills. The article also provides examples of how to develop cultural communication skills with native people and maintain proper ...

Reflective practice: a learning tool for student nurses

Gibbs' Reflective Cycle

Description

Example of 'Description'

Example of 'Feelings'

Example of 'Evaluation'

Example of 'Analysis'

Example of a 'Conclusion'

Example of 'Action Plan'

Understanding the Gibbs Reflective Model: A Framework for Personal and Professional Growth

Introduction

The Six Stages of Gibbs Reflective Cycle

Stage 2: Feelings

Stage 3: Evaluation

Stage 4: Analysis

Stage 5: Conclusion

Stage 6: Action Plan

Applying Gibbs Reflective Model in Practice

Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle vs. Gibbs Reflective Model

Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle

Gibbs Reflective Model

Embracing Gibbs Cycle in Organizational Learning

Why Organizational Learning Matters

Implementing Gibbs Reflective Model in Organizations

Reflective Approaches in Nursing Education and Clinical Practice

New Research in Nursing - Education and Practice

Author Information

1. Introduction

2. Reflective approaches

2.1 The various model of reflective practice

2.1.1 Gibbs’ reflective cycle or Gibbs’ model of reflection (1988)

2.1.2 Rolfe 2001

2.2.1 Ganshirt 2007

2.3 Application of reflective learning for health professional

3. Conclusion

Acknowledgments

Conflict of interest

Further reading

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Table of Contents

Stage 1: Description

Stage 2: Feelings

Stage 3: Evaluation

Stage 4: Analysis

Stage 5: Conclusion

Stage 6: Action plan

Gibbs’ reflective cycle example in health education

How to reference Gibbs reflective cycle?

Can Gibbs' Reflective Model be used in any profession?

What are the disadvantages of Gibb's reflective cycle?

Gibbs' Reflective Cycle

What Is Gibbs' Reflective Cycle?

Using the Model

Step 1: Description

Step 2: Feelings

Step 3: Evaluation

Step 4: Conclusions

Step 5: Action

Frequently Asked Questions About Gibbs' Reflective Cycle

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