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Research Paper, 15 pages (4000 words)

Principles of professional development

All organizations need to develop a learningculturewith work based learning at the earth of this. Continual professional development is a process of life-long learning that meets the needs of clients and enables care workers to expand and fulfill their potential. It Is Important to continually Improve your knowledge and practice In order to remain aware and keep updated regards current guidelines, legislations and standards relative to your practice. As manager It Is your role andresponsibilityto ensure staff are kept up to date with and legislation, standards and guideline changes.

The GIGS Code of Practice state that ‘social care employers must provide raining and development opportunities to enable social care workers to strengthen and develop their skills and knowledge. ‘ The White Paper – Modernizing Social Services Promoting Independence, Improving Protection, Raising Standards’ (written in 1998) identified that 80% of all care staff had no formal training and that there were no national standards of practice. It stated that ‘A competent and confident workforce Is an essential component of the modernization of the social services.

More recently there has been a consultation paper called ‘Independence, wellbeing and choice: our viols for the future of social Care for Adults in England (2005) which set out further proposals about the future of social care. Part of the paper was focused again on the skills and status of the workforce in social care and how improvements to the training and development of the staff can lead to improvements in the social care sector as a whole. Personal development benefits the individual, the organization they work for and the people using the services. Better knowledge leads to better practice. . 2 Analyses potential barriers to professional development There are many potential barriers to professional development, which could include: Personal barriers intellectual arises – over confidence In own abilities (feel training unnecessary) social barriers – lack of encouragement from managers emotional barriers – low self esteem Time pressuresfamilyand other commitments Lack of childcare facilities Financial barriers Lack of budget Training venue inaccessible/too far away Organizational barriers and cover during absence These barriers should be discussed during supervision and appraisal.

This is also the time to give guidance, support and encouragement leading to a more productive workforce which feels valued. During supervision and appraisal o should discuss your professional development. Training and development needs should then be identified and followed through. 1. 3 Compare the use of different sources and systems of support for professional development There are numerous sources and systems of support for professional development. These can be accessed through your workplace organization or you may access them independently.

Books Information leaflets Journals -NursingTimes Attending conferences – Care show Internet – Government websites/ACS/Academicestablishments Mentoring Appraisal Supervision Staff meetings E-learning Training DVD’s Practical ministrations In house training courses Support by work colleagues College courses Relevant care organizations – Age concern/Earn etc Recognized bodies – ICQ, NICE, ICE, HOSE It is important to recognize the most relevant sources of information regards your professional development.

You should establish what opportunities are available to you and where your strengths and weaknesses lie, in order to access appropriate training and development opportunities. By entering into discussion with your manager and asking for their advice, you will gain knowledge and feedback on your current practice. By goal sharing with your manager you can establish where you both see your future roles and responsibilities.

When working in partnership with other organizations, sharing training opportunities, not only develops and bonds the partnership but also allows you to access extra, relevant training, which might not be available through your own organization. 1. 4 Explain factors to consider when selecting opportunities and activities for keeping knowledge and practice up to date It is necessary to ensure that any opportunities and activities are relevant for keeping your knowledge and practice up to date.

You will need to consider and assess how relevant sources of support are and also the systems of support available, in relation to your personal, professional and organizationalgoals. There are subtle differences between personal and professional development. Personal development is about developing personal qualities and skills needed to live and work with others e. G. Understanding, empathy, patience, self-respect, self- esteem, self-confidence andcommunication.

Professional development concernscareerprogression and developing skills which are needed for your profession such s communication, team work, leading, time management, project management, decision making, problem solving etc. The principles of professional development are based onmotivationand reaching goals and on maintaining high standards and effective care for the service users. Best practice can be promoted through training, personal and professional development, reflective practice, supervision and support. An example of developing your professional procedures in your workplace, up to date.

You would be able to do this by visiting the HOSE website and researching and also by reading their publications. Any sources of knowledge should be appropriate and reputable and from recognized sources, to ensure correct information is learned Be able to priorities goals and targets for own professional development 2. 1 Evaluate own knowledge and performance against standards and benchmarks The expected standards and benchmarks include: the Essential Standards for quality and safety which states you can expect to be cared for by qualified staff: 0 0 Yourhealthand welfare needs are met by staff who are properly qualified.

You will be looked after by staff who are well managed and have the chance to develop and improve their skills. National Occupational Standards (NO’S) describe best practice by bringing together skills, knowledge and values. National Occupational Standards are valuable tools to be used as benchmarks for qualifications as well as for defining roles at work, staff recruitment, supervision and appraisal. Code of Practice for Social Care Workers Social care workers must: be accountable for the quality of their work and take responsibility for maintaining and improving their knowledge and skills.

Care Standards Act 2000 (CSS) created a new regulatory framework for all regulated social care and independent health care services. The Act has two fundamental aims, to: 0 0 protect vulnerable people from abuse and neglect; and promote the highest standards of quality in the care that people receive The standards and benchmarks you are evaluating your knowledge and performance against are Codes of practice, National Occupational standards and minimum/ essential standards etc (See above) By following your workplace standards you will be ensuring best practice, which is used to maintain quality and can be used as a benchmark.

When working in social care, to be effective and to provide the best possible service for those you support, you need to be able to think about and valuate what you do and the way you work, and to identify your strengths and weaknesses. It is important that you learn to think about your own practice in a constructive way. Reflection and evaluation should not undermine your confidence in your own work; rather, you should use them in a constructive way to identify areas for improvement.

Research suggests that the most effective people are those who understand themselves, both their strengths and weaknesses, so they can develop strategies to meet the demands of their practice. An individual’s talents and personal skills are a fundamental and integral part of who they are. It is important to evaluate your knowledge and practice and assess your own performance against your workplace standards and this can be done by undertaking a personal skills inventory. A personal skills inventory is a systematic approach to evaluating strengths and areas for improvement.

By producing a written evaluation detailing training attended and Below is one example of a personal skills analysis. WRITTEN COMMUNICATION: able to express yourself clearly in writing Thinking through in advance what you want to say Gathering, analyzing and arranging your information in a logical sequence. Developing your argument in a logical way. Being able to condense information/ produce concise summary notes. Adapting your writing style for different audiences. Avoiding Jargon. VERBAL COMMUNICATION: expressing your ideas clearly and confidently in speech Listening carefully to what others are saying.

Able to clarify and summaries what others are communicating. Helping others to define their problems. Not interrupting. I have this Like to improve I have this skill I’d like to improve it Being sensitive to body language as well as verbal information. Making the right impression by making effective use of dress, conduct and speech. Keeping business telephone calls to the point. Thinking up an interesting way to put across your message to groups. Successfully building a rapport with your audience when speaking to groups.

FLEXIBILITY: adapting successfully to changing situations and environments Keeping calm in the face of difficulties Planning ahead, but having alternative options in case things go wrong Thinking quickly to respond to sudden changes in circumstances Persisting in the face of unexpected difficulties PERSUADING: able to convince others, to discuss and reach agreement Putting your points across in a reasoned way. Emphasizing the positive aspects of your argument. Understanding the needs of the person you are dealing with. Handling objections to your arguments. Making concessions to reach agreement.

Using tact and diplomacy. TEAMWORK: working confidently within a group Working cooperatively towards a common goal. Contributing your own ideas effectively in a group. Listening to others’ opinions. Taking a share of the responsibility. Being assertive – rather than passive or aggressive. Accepting & learning from constructive criticism. Giving positive, constructive feedback I have this Like to improve I have this Like to improve I have his Like to improveLEADERSHIP: able to motivate and direct others Taking the initiative. Organizing and motivating others. Making decisions and seeing them through.

Taking a positive attitude tofailure: persevering when things are not working out. Accepting responsibility for mistakes/wrong decisions. Being flexible – prepared to adapt goals in the light of changing situations. PLANNING AND ORGANIZING: able to plan activities & I have this carry them through effectively Setting objectives which are achievable. Managing your time effectively/using action planning skills. Setting priorities – most important/most urgent. Identifying the steps needed to achieve your goals. Being able to work effectively when under pressure. Completing work to a deadline.

INVESTIGATING, ANALYZING AND PROBLEM SOLVING: gathering information systematically to establish facts and principles Clarifying the nature of a problem before deciding action. Collecting, collating, classifying and summarizing data systematically. Analyzing the factors involved in a problem & being able to identify the generation of alternative solutions to a problem. Differentiating between practical and impractical solutions. INNUMERACY: able to carry out arithmetic operations/ understand data I have this Like to improve Like to improve Like to improve I have I have this Multiplying and dividing accurately.

Calculating percentages. Using a calculator. Reading and interpreting graphs and tables. Using statistics. Planning and organizing your personal finances effectively. Managing a limited budget. COMPUTING SKILLS Word-processing skills. Using databases (e. G. Access) Using spreadsheets (e. G. Excel) Using the Internet and email. Designing web pages. Programming skills. DEVELOPINGPROFESSIONALISMAccepting responsibility for your views and actions. Showing the ability to work under your own direction and initiative. Making choices based on your own Judgment.

Paying care and attention to quality in all your work. Taking the opportunity to learn new skills. Developing the drive and enthusiasm to achieve your goals. I have this Like to improve I have this Like to improve 2. 2 Priorities development goals and targets to meet expected standards Self- Assessment is the ability to practically and objectively identify personal management strengths and weaknesses. By carrying out a personal skills analysis you will be more aware of these areas. This will enable you to assess and identify personal goals and argue areas for improvement.

Once you have identified the gaps in your knowledge or skills you will need to priorities them in order of urgency. Certain areas of your practice will involve mandatory training, to meet your workplace ‘expected standards’. This will always be a priority with regards development goals and targets. Next, you will need to consider your current roles and responsibilities and target areas where training would benefit and enhance your practice. Training, supervision and appraisals were made a legal requirement by the Care Standards in an attempt to address problems with recruitment and retention.

Prior to this 80% of all care staff had no formal training and there were no national standards of practice. Because of this the General Social Care Council was formed in order to regulate the training of social workers and set conduct and practice standards for all social services staff. Support and supervision sessions are regular one-to-one meetings where work performance is discussed in a systematic manner. Support and supervision is concerned with monitoring work in hand, reviewing progress against individual work plans, discussing problems, developing solutions, and delegating new tasks and projects.

Effective support and supervision should maximize learning on the Job and support the individual in a way which is performance and managing personal and career development are best considered as part of a systematic staff appraisal system, although this is a parallel and complimentary management process. By having regular supervisions and appraisals at work, your manager will be able to assist and guide you in identifying areas of your practice which may need enhancing and where gaps in your knowledge exist and you will also be able to discuss your personal goals, career progression and your personal aspirations. . Be able to prepare a professional development plan 3. 1 Select learning opportunities to meet development objectives and reflect personal learning style First you will need to priorities your goals, targets and objectives, for your professional development. Once you have identified these, you will need to look at the type of training/learning opportunity which is appropriate and relevant to your role, which will enable you to meet those goals and targets. Next you need to formulate a plan of how this will be achieved.

This will be your professional development plan. First look at the training you have identified and decide which parts of your plan necessitate formal learning and which parts of your plan necessitate informal learning. You will need to take in consideration many factors when deciding and selecting the appropriate type of learning opportunity which best suits you, as it will need to fit both your life style and also your learning style. Formal learning opportunities could take place in college’s, university or within the workplace.

These could be accredited and non-accredited courses, such as diploma’s/ envy’s etc and workplace formal training. If it is an accredited course, you may prefer to attend college on a weekly basis or you may prefer a distance learning course, where you can study at your own pace. Informal learning opportunities could include being mentored or coached, and shadowing. Once you have decided on the type of learning which will meet your objectives, it is also important to take into consideration your learning style and the method of learning which works best for you.

BARK (Visual, Aural, Reading and writing, Kinesthesia) According to the BARK learning styles theory, every individual is predisposed to a preferred learning style, instinctively favoring one of the four styles that the theory describes. Some students process information most effectively by using a visual learning style, Just as others rely more heavily on either an auditory style, read/write learning style or kinesthesia style of learning. To establish the type of learner you are click on the link below and answer the questionnaire. Http://www. Bark-learn. Mom/documents/The BARKQuquestionnairef PDFed on the results of the VARKBARKstionnaire you will have established and recorecognized best type of learning style for you and then recorecognize within your plan. 3. 2 Produce a plan for own professional development, using an appropriate source of support 3. 3 Establish a process to evaluate the effectiveness of the plan Here you will need to produce a plan for your professional development. Keeping your skills and knowledge current will give you a competitive advantage in achieving yourcareer goals.

As with your other life goals, it is recommended that you long learning is the key to growth and empowerment. You can gain support with this from you Manager, your training department or your assessor as they will be aware f your training needs and requirements and will be able to advise you and recommend areas which you can develop. Remember your professional development plan is a living document which needs to be constantly evaluated, updated and changed to remain meaningful. Below is a link to a site where you can complete a questionnaire which will result in a professional development plan based on your personal circumstances.

Based upon your personal assessment of your current knowledge, skills and abilities, or based upon feedback you have received from others, ask yourself the following questions: How can I improve or strengthen my work performance? What are the key areas I want or need to develop to remain proficient in my profession? What are new skills and knowledge I will need in the future? After determining the key learning areas in which you want to focus, develop specific and measurable goals in which to pursue. Use this template to facilitate your goaltoiletingcess, to document your results, and to track your accomplishments.

Professional Development Action Plan Template As I develop my Action Plan, I will use the SMART model by ensuring all of my goals and action steps are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and within a specific TimeTimesharemplete a plan for each of my goals. Goal: Relevance – how will this goal help me: What is the realistic timetimeshareaccomplish the step or strategy? What are the steps or strategies I will take? How will I evaluate each step or strategy? How will I know the step or strategy has been accomplished? Sample – Professional Development Action Plan As I develop my Action Plan, I will use for each of my goals.

Goal: Develop my presentation (public-speaking) skills give oral presentations to internal and external clients. By gaining competency and proficiency in this area, I will build my confident, which will result in more effective and persuasive communication with positive outcomes and reduce myanxietywhen called upon to speak publicly. What is the realistic timetimeshareaccomplish the step or strategy? Complete the workshop within six months. What are the steps or strategies I will take? Take a public workshop on presentation skills. Read at least two intermediate-level books on presentation skills.

By July 1st. Join Toastmasters International to frequently practice my newly acquired Join within the next three months; participate in weekly meetings for at least How will I evaluate each step or strategy? After the workshop, I will test my knowledge in the fundamentals of public speaking. After reading the books, I will measure my knowledge on more advanced presentation techniques. I will measure progress by soliciting feedback from other Toastmaster How will I know the step or strategy has been accomplished? Upon course completion.

The two books identified will have been informative and helpful in educating me on more advanced presentation skills. Through frequent practice, my skill level should mproimprovea minimum, I will presentation skills. six Sixths. partParticipatesrsue certification. becoBecomee proficient in preparing for presentations and reducing anxiety. By giving at least one oral presentation per month at staff meetings. Seek out new opportunities to present information and reports in a team setting. Immediately. I will measure progress by soliciting feedback from team members and my manager. 4. Be able to improve performance through reflective 4. Compare models of reflective practice Reflective practice is being self-aware, systematic, challenging and objective. It is also about keeping track of your learning, by recording and reviewing your learning. There are different types of reflection different models and theories of reflective practice. Edgar SchoChoninfluential writer on reflection, described reflection in two main ways: reflection in action and reflection on action. Reflection on action is looking back after the event whilst reflection in action is happening during the event. To complicate matters there are different interpretations of reflection on action.

Reflection in action means: ” To think about what one is doing whilst one is doing it; it s typically stimulated by surprise, by something which puzzled the practitioner concerned” (Greenwood, 1993). This allows the practitioner to redesign what he/ she is doing whilst he/she is doing it. Reflection on action is defined as: ” The retrospective contemplation of practice undertaken in order to uncover the knowledge used in practical situations, by analanalyzing interpreting the information recalled” (Fitzgerald, 19941994pp67 can see here that reflection on action involves turning information into knowledge, by conducting a cognitive post mortem.

Boyd ; FaleFalsegest reflection on action is: ” The rocerecesscreating and clarifying the meanings of experiences in terms of self in relation to both self and world. The outcome of this process is changed conceptual perspectives” (Boyd ; FaleFalse831983pp101 see here that Boyd and FaleFalseus more on self-development. Here refection does not only add to our knowledge but challenges the concepts and theories we hold. Furthermore as a result we don’t see more, we see differently.

Atkins and Murphy take this idea one step further and suggest that for reflection to make a real difference to practice we follow this with a commitment to action as a result. The problems with these views of reflection on action are that they do not take account of the importance of reflection before action. This is when we plan out before we act what we want to do. Gibbs Framework for Reflection Stage 1: Description of the event Describe in detail the event you are reflecting on. Include e. g. hGreHeree you; who else was there; why were you there; what were you doing; what were other people doing; what was the context of the event; what happened; what was your part in this; what parts did the other people play; what was the result. Stage 2: Feelings and Thoughts (Self warewariness this stage, try to recall and explore those things that were going on inside your head. Include: How you were feeling when the event started? What you were thinking about at the time? How did it make you feel? How did other people make you feel?

How did you feel about the outcome of the event? What do you think about it now? Stage 3: Evaluation Try to evaluate or make a JudgJudgmentut what has happened. Consider what was good about the experience and what was bad about the experience or what did or didn’t go so well Stage 4: Analysis Break the event down into its component parts so they can be explored separately. You may need to ask went well? What did you do well? What did others do well? 0 0 What went wrong or did not turn out how it should have done? In what way did you or others contribute to this?

Stage 5: Conclusion (Synthesis) This differs from the evaluation stage in that now you have explored the issue from different angles and have a lot of information to base your JudgJudgment is here that you are likely to develop insight into you own and other people’s behabehaviorterms of how they contributed to the outcome of the event. Remember the purpose of reflection is to learn from an experience. Without detailed analysis and honest exploration that occurs during all the previous stages, it is unlikely that all aspects of the event will be taken into account and therefore valuable opportunities for learning can be missed.

During this stage you should ask yourself what you could have done differently. Stage 6: Action Plan During this stage you should think yourself forward into encountering the event again and to plan what you would do – would you act differently or would you be likely to do the same Here the cycle is tentatively completed and suggests that should the event occur gain it will be the focus of another reflective cycle Gibbs model incorporates all the core skills of reflection.

Arguably it is focused on reflection on action, but with practice it could be used to focus on reflection in and before action. Johns Model of Structured Refection Chris John’s (1994; 1995) model arose from his work in the BurfBradfordsing Development Unit in the early 1990sass’s envisaged this model as being used within a process of guided reflection. His focus was about uncovering and making explicit the knowledge that we use in our practice. He adopted some earlier ork arkCarper (1978) who looked at ways of knowing in nursing.

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