Rolfe Reflective Model

Rolfe Reflective Model: A Guide for Practitioners

Reflecting on ourselves is an important skill for any individual, irrespective of his profession. Whatever actions we do or whatever emotions we feel, a better understanding will always result in improved actions for the future.

In the late 1990s, reflective practice for professional development began to become quite popular (especially in the nursing profession). Then later Professor Gary Rolfe and his friends jointly created Rolfe reflective model in the year of 2001. Of course, this updated reflective model was inspired by the existing selective reflective practices in the past but this new model was calibrated to be useful in the new era.

Reflective practices suggested by Rolfe are the best way to examine self-learning from someone else's experience. You will easily gain useful insights about yourself through critical analysis actions, various thought processes, and outcomes. You will be surprised to know that this model is very useful for personal development and foster growth. Among the many frameworks developed to facilitate this process, this version of the 'what' 'so what' 'now what' model stands out for it's simplicity and effectiveness.

In this blog, we will discuss the brief details of Rolfes model of reflection. In continuation, we will also understand how Rolfe's model is applied in every field. Let's embark on a journey of reflection and discovery, and unlock the potential within each of us to learn and evolve.

What is Rolfe's Model?

The reflective Model of Garry is not only suitable for nursing professionals but can be used by people of every profession. It is an updated and universal version. This model can be used for development and growth in every field from teaching to marketing. Rolfes reflective cycle is a straightforward method and is quite easy to use.

Developed by Gary Rolfe in 2001, this model is all about providing a structured framework so that individuals can use it to reflect on their experiences and actions. This model is extremely popular in a variety of sectors, but healthcare and education are the prime fields where you can see the benefits of its application. Talking about the main components of this model, it comprises three stages:

Main steps in Rolfe's model - What? So what? Now what?

Just as you have read above in this model, 3 questions have been used to understand your actions and emotions better in your profession. What? So what? Now what? Let us comprehend why we use these questions in further context.

What? - This step involves describing the event or situation. It focuses on understanding what happened, including the context and the roles of those involved.

• What happened?
• What was I trying to achieve?
• Were the responses of other people?
• What were the consequences for me?
• What was positive about the experience?

So What? - This step is about analysing the event and understanding its implications. It encourages deeper thinking about the significance of the event and what can be learned from it.

• What are the implications?
• Was my thought process as I acted?
• So, what is the importance of this?
• So what have I learned because of this situation?
• So, what more do I need to know about this situation?

Now What? - This step focuses on future actions and how to apply the insights gained from the reflection. It involves planning how to handle similar situations in the future

• What will you do next?
• Now what could I do?
• Do I need to make things better?
• Do I need to avoid it in future?
• Now what would be the best thing to do?

Step-by-Step Guide to Using Rolfe Reflective Model

Anyone who is interested in the reflective model and wants to know how to use it, we have prepared this step-by-step guide for you. To use Rolfe's model correctly you must follow these 2 steps correctly.

Identifying a Reflective Situation

Beginning B Selecting Experiences Had a Significant Impact on You. For this, you can choose any situation, positive or negative it totally depends on you. Choose situations where you thought one thing but the outcome was different than the original one, or where you felt that you were not 100% sure about your decisions. These experiences are ripe for reflection as they offer the most learning potential. For better results, you can also do continuous journaling of such experiences.

Use the "What, So What, Now What" Framework

In the next step, you have to use the "What, So What, Now What" framework of Rolfe's model. First, you will describe your situations in detail using "what". Try to describe your experience in as objective a way as possible. Here there is no need to tell about anyone else's analysis or their judgment.

Analyse the situation using "so what" to describe What did you learn, what emotions did you face, what influenced your actions, etc. Finally in "Now what" you have to determine how you can make these situations better in the future.

For better reflection, you can practice these things regularly. Continue practice will benefit you a lot and you will be able to handle every situation in a better way.

Pros and Cons of this Reflective Model

Every model or theory has some advantages and also some shortcomings. Rolfe reflective model also has some limitations. Let us understand some pros and cons of the following model so you can use it properly while considering both sides:

Pros

• Rolfe reflective model is very easy to understand.
• This model has a strong structure, users can easily cover important experiences.
• Users can think about future actions and improvements.
• This model can be adjusted to different situations and is versatile for various professions.

Cons

• The simplicity of this model can lead to biased opinions or actions.
• Rolfe's model lacks strong theoretical support as compared to other models.
• Three questions often restrict a person to explore more.
• For complicated situations, this model is very basic.

How is it different from other reflective models?

Before ending the blog, let us compare Rollface's model with the previous two models: Driscoll's Reflective model and the Era Cycle.

Rolfe's Model	Driscoll Reflective Model	ERA Cycle
Structure: What? So What? Now What?	Structure: What? So What? Now What?	Structure: Experience, Reflection, Action
Focus: Encourages a deep understanding of an event, its implications, and future actions.	Focus: Specifically adapted for clinical practice. However, it was similar to Rolfe's Model.	Focus: Emphasizes the cyclical nature of reflection.
Application: Clinical settings and reflective writing	Application: Used in nursing and healthcare to reflect on patient care and professional practice.	Application: Used across various disciplines for self and professional improvement.
Strengths: Simple and easy to use and thorough analysis.	Strengths: Being tailored for clinical settings	Strengths: Encourages continuous learning and improvement.

Each model has its strengths and can be chosen based on the specific needs and context of the reflection. Would you like to explore any of these models in more detail?

What have we learned so far?

So that was a detailed blog on Rolfe's model of reflection, where we understood how the model has formed a circle around "What?", "So What?" and "Now what" such questions. You can use this model to deeply analyse your past experiences and improve them in the future. Professor Garry Rolfe's model of reflection will help you develop your personal and professional growth skills.

Especially nursing and healthcare practitioners, you all continue to practice this model. It will help a lot in giving valuable insights to everyone and if you have any doubt then feel free to contact our Nursing experts. You can also get help from our experts on many topics including this model. New assignment help's highly qualified nursing experts will give you guidance on each topic. We also offer Nursing assignment help in the UK at an affordable price.