Gibbs Reflective Cycle: Know Its Origin, Stages, Examples & Pros and Cons

Key Features

Whether you're a student, professional, or simply curious about self-improvement, the Gibbs cycle of reflection works wonders. This guide will take you through its origin, steps, advantages and disadvantages of Gibbs reflective cycle explained in thorough detail. Let's start with who created Gibbs reflective cycle? and why it plays a crucial role in your academics.

What Is Gibbs Reflective Cycle and How Did It Originate?

Professor Graham Gibbs introduced Gibbs's Reflective Cycle in his 1988 book Learning by Doing. He also supported "experimental learning" and was inspired by the Kolb Learning Cycle. Gibbs designed this model to help people learn from their actions. It is a tool that helps people think about their experiences, analyze them, and learn for the future. It is like your daily conversations with your best friend, where you talk about something with complete details. The only difference is that the Gibbs reflective style requires an in-depth analysis of a particular experience. That is it. To give you a Gibbs reflective cycle example, you can use it for any situation, like solving a problem or improving at a task.

The goal of this reflective practice Gibbs model is to help people reflect step-by-step and understand what went well, what did not, and how to improve. If you learn to apply it correctly, it is a great way to avoid repeating mistakes. Moreover, to build confidence to handle similar situations better in future. This model became a popular tool over time, especially in nursing, to help students and professionals reflect on their patient care experiences. Students who need an A+ paper on the Gibbs model written by professionals seek Nursing assignment help. Using this method, they can turn failures into lessons and improve their ability to handle challenging tasks. As a result, the following section is the most important one in this article. Read it thoroughly.

What Are the 6 Stages of Gibbs Reflective Cycle?

A management and self-reflection tool. To critically engage with the learning experience and draw conclusions, practice-based learning enables people to think logically and methodically about their various adventures. There are six steps in the Gibbs reflective model. The first three steps are concerned with what took place during the experience that is being studied. The final three steps address how you can enhance your knowledge for similar situations you may encounter in the future. You will also see Gibbs reflective model sample in the upcoming section that will make the concepts more clear.

 

1. Description

You have to describe the experience in the initial phase. Provide background information and a factual account of the incident's specifics. Setting the stage for later analysis and evaluation, this step of the Gibbs Reflective Cycle functions similarly. To provide clear, accurate information to facilitate understanding. You might inquire as follows:

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

2. Feeling

Discuss your feelings, actions, and thoughts about the experience in step two of the Gibbs cycle. Never attempt to evaluate or judge the senses. Indicate them. Recall your emotions before, during, and following the incident. It may be hard sometimes to express your feeling, so it is best to seek online management assignment help from experts, to get a better approach at this.

• What emotions did you have before the event?
• What did you think during the crisis that took place?
• What do other people experience?
• What were you thinking during the case?
• What did you feel after the event?
• What do you believe other people are currently thinking about the situation?
• What are your current thoughts about the situation?

3. Evaluation

The evaluation of the circumstances is the focus of this step. Whether they were good or bad, your experiences must be described. Be clear on the main goals as you assess the situation, highlighting the successes and failures. To write a stellar evaluation section just like how we provide assignment help, you must elaborate on the points listed below:

• What went well?
• What didn't go so well?
• Was the situation resolved afterwards? Why or why not?
• Things that went well in the situation
• Something that didn't go well in the situation
• What positives or negatives did you contribute?
• What positives or negatives did others provide?

4. Analysis

This Gibbs Reflective Cycle is the best opportunity to make sense of what happened and determine what lesson you have learned. You had been concentrating on the specifics of the situation until this point, but you now have the opportunity to conclude it. By doing this, you'll be prepared to handle the same situation effectively. For more clarification, you can take assistance from Gibbs analysis example. First, list the good and bad things that occur to analyse both properly. Then, you can consider the following queries:

• Why did things go well in this situation?
• What are the reasons for the mistakes that occurred during the crisis?
• What sense can one make of the problem?
• What knowledge is required to understand the problem?
• What knowledge of other people helps to understand the problem?

5. Conclusion

You can now conclude what transpired. You can do that by reflecting on how you felt at the time and imagining what else you could have done. You will significantly benefit from the knowledge gathered as you strive to improve yourself. To improve the outcome in the future, you summarise your expertise and highlight the changes in this step of the Gibbs reflective model. Keep in mind that it ought to be a natural reaction. You may find these questions helpful in this regard:

• What skills can you learn to enhance them?
• Can you use those skills now?
• If you faced the same situation, what would you do differently?
• How are you planning to turn the adverse outcomes into positive ones?

6. Action Plan

It is the final action. Be proactive and outline your plans for putting them into action. Based on your findings, make the necessary adjustments to position yourself for the next instance of the same circumstance. In case, you face issues in jotting it jotting it down, it is best to use our AI Essay Typer tool.

It will create an outline for you and give your content a kick-start. For citation guidance, refer to the Gibbs model of reflection or seek professional assistance.

• What did you learn from the situation?
• What skills do you need to develop to become a better person?
• What could have been a more favourable situation for everyone out there?
• What else could have been done?
• So, you saw the stages of Gibbs reflective cycle in detail. You can apply this model in real like situations like Gibbs reflective cycle example group work and other examples of same nature.

Gibbs Reflective Cycle Example

In this section , you will see the example of Gibbs reflective cycle in healthcare in detail. It will help you to understand the reflective cycle in more detail and your concepts will become more clear. So, let's dive in!

Case Assessment- This reflective example will highlight the experience of a student dealing with sick patients in a hospital in London. In this, we will reflect on the student's experience dealing with real-life cases.

Stage 1- Description

I, a third-year student nurse who was in charge of night duty in a London hospital, had another nurse to deal with 23 sick patients in the medical ward. A doctor told me to give a patient(Mr W) 0.1 mg of Digoxin (a heart stimulant) to relieve symptoms of severe congestive heart failure and breathing issues. I had never previously given such a high dose of that medicine, and measured four tabs from the 0.25 mg bottle. I cross-checked the bottle and dosage with the doctor, who consented along with the other nurse. All were in agreement. I then checked the patient's heart rate, which was OK, and kept checking on an hourly basis.

At midnight, I suddenly realized that he has given 10 times the amount of Digxoin as stated in the doctor's prescription. I also confirmed the same with the other nurse who agreed with me. I then went to file an incident report, informed the on call doctor and Mr. W relatives. I was asked to go the hospital matron in the morning.

Mr. W did not suffer any ill effects and went on to make a full recovery.

Stage 2-  Feelings

I had been on night shifts for a long period of time. That day the ward was very busy and only had two nurses and I was incharge of Mr. W. He was very ill and needed constant monitoring.

I had never given high dose of Digxoin before and was quite reluctant to administer such high dose to the patient. Moreover, I also checked with the on call doctor who looked at the tablets and gave the green signal. I was nervous after giving such high dose and kept checking the patient's pulse.

In fact, the doctor was under tremendous stress, and his beeper kept going off, and he was rushing all over the place. He has recently moved from the pediatric ward.

Stage 3- Evaluation

I was not blamed for the incident, neither was he reassured. Mr. W went to make a full recovery and the relatives were also extremely understanding of the circumstances. The matron was also impressed with me and said that I took responsibility for my actions and came clean about it.

I was completely petrified by the error that I made and watched Mr. W the whole night for any signs of overdose. Moreover, I could not sleep the next day and returned to my next shift to find Mr. W doing better.

Stage 4- Analysis

The incident really terrified me because I had done everything right, had consulted the doctor and had also checked the dosage myself. Moreover, I had no idea what pushed me to think about the overdose later, except that I had been reticent to give such a high dose. The doctor agreed that I had shown him four white tablets, and he said, "I thought you knew what you were doing", which was not an answer at all. Moreover, he did not get into any trouble for his oversight.

I also came to the realization that patients are dependant on us and put their faith in our abilities to take care of them. In that regard, I let Mr. W down.

I recognize that the incident was a by-product of other linked incidents like overwork, tiredness, and misunderstandings. In addition, if i had known the doctor better, I would have a conversation with him about the dose.

Stage 5- Conclusions

I was relieved that Mr W. survived the overdose and his relatives were accommodating, but if he had had any severe reaction or worse died, I would not be able to carry on nursing.

Stage 6- Now What? (Action)

I have now become more vigilant regarding drugs and am learn the proper dosage. Moreover, I will form now on will look up the drug in reference books before giving it because I am culpable if I do wrong.

From now on, I will be more careful with the drug dosage, and if I have any doubts, I will check numerous times before giving it. However, I believe I had done all I could have at that time.

Also I am always available to offer support to other nurses present on the team and also give them a chance to talk about it. I never want another nurse to go through what I went through and not want to harm anyone in my care.

So, you saw the example of Gibbs' reflective cycle and how all the stages were explained through it. If you have issues taking an exam on this topic, you can take an online exam help.

Why Is Gibbs' Reflective Cycle Important in Reflective Writing?

Gibbs reflective cycle is widely used in reflective writing because it provides a clear and structured way to think deeply about your experiences. When using this model in academic or professional settings, Gibbs reflective cycle reference Harvard is often cited to give credibility to reflect the process. Below you will see why this model is important in reflective writing:-

1. Provides a Clear Structure for Writing:- Gibbs reflective cycle helps by breaking the reflection process into six distinct stages to cover all the important aspects of the experience.

2. Encourages Deeper Self-Reflection:- It guides you to move beyond surface level reflections to dig deeper into your thoughts and emotions for better understanding of yourself.

3. Helps Connect Theory to Practice:- With the help of Gibbs cycle you can reflect on how the theories or concepts you have learned can be applied to your personal experiences.

4. Facilitates Continuous Improvement:- It focus on future improvement turns reflection into a proactive tool that helps you to become better at handling similar situations in future.

5. Promotes Emotional Intelligence:- It boost your emotional intelligence to make you more thoughtful about the situations so that you can make decisions in the future thoughtfully.

So, these are the crucial points about why Gibbs' reflective cycle is essential for reflective writing. There is one more additional tip that when you include a Gibbs reflective cycle citation Harvard, it strengthens the credibility of your reflection.

How to Write a Reflective Essay Using Gibbs Reflective Model?

Reflective writing allows you to look back on an experience to extract meaningful insights that contribute to both personal and professional growth the purpose of using this model in essay is to offer a framework that guides the reflection process. If you want to Gibbs reflective cycle template for essay you can consider asking help from our experts. Below you will see a structure of Gibbs' reflective cycle in essay:-

•  Introduction:- Start with a brief introduction where you have to outline your experience.
•  Description:- Describe your experience by providing enough context for your reader.
•  Feelings:- Reflect on your emotional response by explore your feelings and thinking.
•  Evaluation:- Analyze both positive and negative aspects of the experience.
•  Analysis:- Dig deeper into the situation to understand the things more deeper.
•  Conclusion:- Summarize what you learned from the experience and highlight the key takeaways.
•  Action Plan:- Outline what you would do differently if faced with a similar situation again.

So when you understand these stages you can easily craft an essay for your essay reflecting your experiences clearly.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Gibbs Reflective Cycle?

There are many Gibbs reflective cycle example for students that can help them understand the benefits and drawbacks better. However, we have still listed a few advantages and disadvantages of Gibbs reflective cycle below, that you can go through to understand the model even better

Advantages of Gibbs Reflective Cycle

•  Clear and Easy to Follow:- One of the best things about Gibbs Reflective Cycle is that it is organized and gives you a step by step process.
•  Promotes Deep Thinking:- The cycle goes beyond describing the situation because it encourages you to gain valuable insights into yourself.
•  Helps You Grow:- It will help you to become better by identifying your improving areas and where you need improvement.
•  Versatile and Adaptable:- This model is not for one specific area because it can be used in all kinds of profession from nursing to education to business.

Disadvantages of Gibbs Reflective Cycle

•  Can Feel Too Rigid:-  Some people find that the step by step nature of the Gibbs cycle feels a bit too formulaic.
•  May Lead to Shallow Reflection:- It you do not put thought into it then the cycle can lead to surface level reflections that make it less useful.
•  Focuses Too Much on the Individual:- The Gibbs cycle is mainly about individual reflection that is why sometimes it does not take look into a bigger picture.
•  Takes Time:- Reflecting using the Gibbs cycle can take time when the experience you are reflecting on is complicated.

Therefore, you saw the Gibbs reflective cycle strengths and weaknesses in compact form. Knowing where to begin the reflective process can be challenging if you are not used to it. Fortunately, there are many models you can use as a framework for your reflection, such as the Driscoll reflective model, the Era cycle, Kolb's experiential learning cycle, etc. Moreover, you can also see how to write analysis in Gibbs reflective cycle to help you approach your reflection better.

Also Read: Reflective Journal: A Guide on Writing Reflection-On-Action with Few Examples

How to Reference Gibbs Reflective Cycle?

If you want to give Gibbs model of reflection reference in your work, give credit to Graham Gibbs, as he is the one who created it in his book "Learning by Doing" in 1988.

Here's How to Do It: When writing about it, use the referencing style your school requires, such as APA or Harvard.

 For APA style:

 For Harvard style:

However, if you learned about reflective writing models Gibbs from another book or website, mention that source too. For example, write, "As described by Smith (2020), based on Gibbs (1988)." This shows you are using someone else's explanation of Gibbs' work. Moreover, you can also use Gibbs reflective cycle example presentation, to reflect how your previous presentations went and what changes you can make to the new one.

Note: Always follow the rules your professor provides for referencing to ensure accuracy. Moreover, try not to  forget including all your sources at the end of your assignment and ensure to run it on plagiarism checker for authenticity.

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Embracing Gibbs Cycle in Your Organization

By embracing the Gibbs cycle in your organization, you can nurture an environment of rapid improvement. Below is the list mentioned of embracing Gibbs' cycle for organizations that are interested in embracing Gibbs' reflective cycle for their career development model.

1. Understanding the Gibbs Reflective Cycle: First, make sure that everyone in the organization comprehends the Gibbs reflective cycle model before executing. As mentioned, this model has six stages, and their primary aim is to encourage in-depth reflection on experience to nurture learning and enhance future reactions.

2. Fostering a Reflective Culture: Motivate everyone in the organization to make reflection a part of their daily lives. It should be an essential component of the professional development process rather than seen as a burden.

3. Promote the Exchange of Reflective Ideas: Establish a secure space for people where they can share and express their thoughts. This could be through regular team meetings or one-on-one check-ins with managers. Sharing facilitates group learning and might offer several viewpoints on the same issue.

4. Consistent Assessment and Feedback: Review regularly how the Gibbs reflective cycle is being used in the organization and provide feedback. This helps make sure it's working well and actually supporting people's growth.

5. Showcase Reflective Practices: Managers and leaders should set an example for their staff by practising reflection themselves. This will encourage them to engage in it themselves.

With the help of the Gibbs reflective cycle organization can nurture the culture of learning. This method not only boosts individual development but also drives collective refinement across the team. In the next section, we will discuss how adopting the cycle in education can help you improve your professional development.

Adopting the Cycle in Education

Gibbs reflective cycle is a great tool for fostering professional skills and personal growth. By incorporating this model into teaching methods, colleges can improve their students' professional development. Here are seven creative ways in which Gibbs' reflective cycle can boost skills, operational efficiency and leadership capabilities.

1. Incorporate Reflective Practice in Curriculum: By including the Gibbs reflective cycle in their teaching methods, colleges can make reflection a regular part of learning . It will encourage them to think critically about their experiences, and it will help them build crucial professional skills.

2. Real-World Scenarios: Educational institutions can use case studies or real-life scenarios where you can apply the reflective cycle to make reflection more practical. Further, it will enable you to understand potential situations you might face in your careers and how to handle them as well.

3. Promote Skill Acquisition: It can be a helpful tool for enhancing specific skills. With it, you can understand your strengths and find areas for improvement. It improves your leadership skills and personal abilities.

4. Professional Development Workshops: Institutes can hold workshops that focus on teaching you how to use Gibbs' Reflective Cycle for your personal and professional growth. Also, these workshops could provide support on how to reflect and apply these insights to your careers.

5. Reflective Journals: Another approach is to motivate you to keep a reflective journal. This will help you apply the Gibbs cycle, which promotes the growth of key leadership skills.

So, these five focus areas integrate both practical tools and ongoing support to make sure that students can develop self-awareness with crucial skills for their professional journeys.

Let Our Experts Assist You with Gibbs Reflective Model

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Also Read: XNXP Personality Traits and Types Online Test That You Should Know