Reflective practice on inpatient mental health wards (1/2): integrating cognitive-behavioural framework with reflective learning process

Abstract

This first article—of two—is in three parts. First, it discusses the important role of reflective learning in the modern practice of mental health practitioners, and summarises the relevance of national policies for reflective clinical practice. Second, it highlights the benefits that regular and structured reflection on clinical experiences might have for the professional development of nurses and healthcare assistants working on inpatient mental health wards. Finally, this paper argues for an incorporation of cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) principles into the reflective learning process. The second article will build on this, and evaluate the clinical effectiveness of the CBT-integrated model of reflective practice.