Reflecting on your Continuing professional development

You should include information about your reflection on what you learnt, whether you met your learning goals, whether you have or will change your practice as a result of what you learnt and how you plan to change your practice.

The Continuing professional development (CPD) registration standard requires you to maintain a portfolio that includes your reflection on your learning and how you expect it to improve patient outcomes. Evidence suggests that reflecting on (thinking about) what you have learnt and how it could change your practice improves your learning and patient outcomes.

Reflecting on your CPD activities means taking time to think about what you have learnt, how it applies to your practice and whether and how you could change your practice to improve patient outcomes.

The figure below shows a basic structure for reflecting on the CPD you have completed and your practice.

Ideally you should reflect on your practice, patient outcomes and CPD activities throughout the year as well as when you complete a CPD activity. Sometimes when reflecting you may realise that your CPD did not meet your learning needs or may not have a positive impact on patient outcomes. If so, you should plan additional CPD activities to meet your learning needs.

Yes. Instead of reflecting alone, it can be helpful to discuss what you learnt and implications for your practice with a professional colleague. Whether you reflect on your own or with a colleague you still need to record your reflection in your CPD portfolio.

1. What did I learn from the CPD activity?
2. Did what I learnt meet my learning goals?
3. Has what I learnt improved my competence and kept me up to date or built on my knowledge? How?
4. Does what I learnt suggest that I could change my practice to improve patient outcomes? How? If not, why?
5. How could/should I change my practice to improve patient outcomes?
6. What do I need to do to implement change in my practice?
7. Do I need to do any further learning to ensure that I am competent and up to date?