Reflective practice (RP) looks back in order to move forward. It’s a skill that encourages deep thinking about events, focusing on what actually happened, decisions made and the consequences. 

Everyone has ways of processing both positive and negative occurrences, but RP requires conscious, continuous and sustained effort (Koshy et al, 2017). Even a conversation with a colleague can generate meaningful insights if practitioners set aside time to reflect and make RP routine.

The learning approach is important for healthcare providers because it can lead to improvements in the quality and safety of care given to patients, is looked upon favourably by employers, and can assist optometrists in managing challenging professional situations.