How to take control of your
career/CPD
Alison Singleton
Learning and Development
Consultant
Format of session
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Workshop based
Interactive
Based on YOUR experience
Valuable to you for the future
Question
Do you have a portfolio and
what’s in it?
 Why have a portfolio?
 What is it for?
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Tips for developing a Portfolio
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Collect every day examples of how you
are developing in your role
Light bulb moments/ New experiences
Add reflection to any piece of evidencebackground, what went well, what
could have been improved
Do it whilst it’s fresh otherwise it
becomes routine
Question
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What is evidence?
Evidence
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Includes every day experiences
Reports that you have written
Compliment and complaints
New procedures
New skills, e.g. interviews, presentations
Reflections about how you have handled new
and difficult situations
And of course certificates BUT with a short
piece on how the learning has helped you in
your job
Definitions of Reflection
Reflective learning is the process of internally
examining and exploring an issue of concern
triggered by an experience which creates and
clarifies meaning in terms of self and which
results in a changed conceptual perspective.
Boyd E. & Fales a. (1983) Reflective Learning: Key to Learning
From Experience, Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 23,3, 99117
Reflective Approach
We learn nothing from experience.
We learn from reflecting on that experience
(Anonymous)
Why should we use reflection?
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It causes us to make a conscious
attempt to identify and study what is
happening and to learn from that
It allows us to view situations from
different perspectives
Reflection
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Through reflection not only successful but
unsuccessful actions and emotions
experienced will be explored. This enables us
to recognise our strengths and weaknesses.
It facilitates self-analysis and self-evaluation of
effectiveness in all situations and encourages
personal development through change.
It fosters responsibility and accountability.
Example of Format for
Reflection
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What was I trying to achieve?
Why did I intervene as I did?
What were the consequences of my actions for
the patient / family / my colleagues and myself?
How did I feel during the experience?
What factors / knowledge influenced my
decisions and actions?
Format of reflection
(continued)
Alternative actions
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What other choices did I have?
What would the consequences of these
be?
Format of reflection
(continued)
Learning
 How do I now feel about this
experience?
 Could I have dealt better with the
situation?
 What have I learned from this
experience?
Johns C (1993) Professional Supervision, Journal of Nursing
Management 1,9-18
Key Messages
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Development needs must be linked in to the
direction of your organisation so that they
add value to the organisation as well as to
you personally
We must get better at making the link back to
‘how has my development improved the way
I do my job?’
It is evidence of how we do our job better
that is most valuable to a potential employer
Questions?
alison@alisonsingleton.co.uk