Reflective practice applied in a clinical oncology research setting

Abstract

Regular reflective practice group sessions, focusing on enhancing mindfulness, were piloted as part of a support programme for researchers in a clinical oncology setting.

Methods: As a previous systematic review highlighted a wide variety of approaches and a lack of published evidence on the use of specific models for reflective practice in health care, a scoping review of existing literature describing reflective practice models preceded piloting the programme with the research team. The Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) was used to assess the benefit for participants. Scores from the first and last session were analysed using a paired-sample t-test. Feedback from questionnaires was analysed using descriptive statistics (for Likert scales) and direct quotes from free text exemplified the experience.

Results: Seven people participated. Six were female, all were research nurses except for one research allied health professional. The median age was 37 (range: 23-40 years). The average time since graduation was 10 years (range: 1.5-18 years). All researchers worked in a tertiary oncology setting. Although a total of 21 reflective practice sessions were facilitated, the median number of sessions attended was 9 (range: 2-21). The mean MAAS score improved from 57.83 to 62.83 (p=0.0146). The participants rated the experience and impact as positive.

Conclusion: The results of the MAAS score indicate that mindfulness was enhanced by the sessions. The feedback from the participants highlighted the impact on their professional development. This is encouraging to support developing similar facilitated reflective practice programmes in different settings.

Keywords: Cancer; Mindfulness; Professional development; Reflective practice; Research.