Reflect with purpose for recertification, cultural safety and when a concern is raised
2CPD hours
20final questions
80%pass mark
PDFcertificate
What you will learn
Define reflective practice and distinguish it from description, rumination, apology and justification.
Explain how reflection supports the purpose of the HPCA Act 2003 and the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights.
Describe the reflective requirements of the main New Zealand recertification programmes, including the Medical Council, Nursing Council, Midwifery Council, Dental Council, Pharmacy Council and Paramedic Council.
Apply Gibbs, Kolb, 'What? So what? Now what?', Johns and Brookfield's lenses to real practice events.
Assess the depth of reflective writing using Hatton and Smith's levels and rewrite weak reflection as strong reflection.
Identify individual and system contributing factors while taking appropriate personal accountability.
Structure an evidenced reflective statement for an HDC complaint, responsible authority notification or PCC investigation.
Explain accurately the legal status of reflective notes in New Zealand, including section 44 of the HPCA Act and the limits of protected quality assurance activities.
Write reflections that are de-identified, consistent with the clinical record and compatible with privacy obligations.
Use reflection within supervision, competence programmes and a sustainable personal routine linked to your PDP.
About this course
This course teaches health practitioners in Aotearoa New Zealand how to reflect in a way that genuinely improves practice and stands up to scrutiny. It covers the main reflective models, the levels of reflective writing, the reflective requirements built into each responsible authority's recertification programme, how to write a reflective statement after a complaint or notification, and the legal status of reflective notes in New Zealand.
It is written for registered health practitioners across professions: doctors, nurses, midwives, oral health practitioners, pharmacists, paramedics, psychologists, physiotherapists and other practitioners regulated under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003. It suits practitioners building their recertification evidence, preparing for audit, working under supervision, or responding to a concern.
Reflection now sits at the centre of continuing competence in New Zealand: Medical Council vocational CPD, Nursing Council audit against the six pou, Dental Council written reflection and Pharmacy Council critical reflection all depend on it, and cultural safety cannot be achieved without it. Because New Zealand law gives personal reflective notes no general privilege, and the statutory protections that do exist are limited in scope, practitioners also need to know how to write honestly and safely, on the assumption that reflections could be read by others.
Course facts
CPD value
Approximately 2 CPD hours (estimated learning time including knowledge checks, reflection and assessment)
Audience
Registered health practitioners in New Zealand across all responsible authorities: doctors, nurses, midwives, oral health practitioners, pharmacists, paramedics, psychologists, physiotherapists and allied practitioners
Standards covered
Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (ss 36–44, 52–63, 76–77); Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights; HDC Guidance on open disclosure policies (2019); Health Information Privacy Code 2020; MCNZ Good medical practice, Cultural safety and recertification requirements; NCNZ Code of Conduct and 2025 standards of competence; Midwifery Council, Dental Council, Pharmacy Council and Paramedic Council recertification requirements
Format
Self-paced, gated lessons with knowledge checks, case studies and reflection
Assessment
20 scenario-based questions, 80% to pass (16 of 20)
Outcome
Certificate of completion and a written reflection for your CPD record
Alignment
Mapped to the recertification and conduct standards of the HPCA Act responsible authorities (Medical Council, Nursing Council, Midwifery Council, Dental Council, Pharmacy Council and allied authorities); not approved by any of them
Syllabus
10 sections, 2 CPD hours, 20-question final assessment
1Understanding reflective practice3 lessons
What reflection is, and what it is not
Why reflection matters in Aotearoa New Zealand health care
Reflection, wellbeing and cultural safety
2Reflection in New Zealand recertification programmes4 lessons
How the HPCA Act frames continuing competence
Doctors: the Medical Council's recertification requirements
Nurses and midwives
Oral health, pharmacy and allied professions
3Models of reflection and how to use them3 lessons
Why structure helps: Gibbs and Kolb
Short and deep models: Driscoll, Schön and Johns
Lenses for seeing differently: Brookfield and Te Whare Tapa Whā
4From description to critical reflection3 lessons
Levels of reflective writing
Weak and strong reflective statements
Systems, contributing factors and just culture
5Writing a reflective statement after a concern3 lessons
Where reflection fits when a concern is raised
Structuring a reflective statement
Reflection, apology, explanation and justification
6The legal status of reflective notes in New Zealand3 lessons
Can your reflections be used against you?
Protected quality assurance activities: what they do and do not cover
Writing reflections safely
7Reflection in remediation and everyday practice3 lessons
Reflection within competence programmes and conditions
Reflecting with others: peers, supervision and teams
Building a sustainable reflective habit
8Conclusion and key points1 lesson
Conclusion and key points
9References and further reading1 lesson
References and further reading
10Your reflective account1 lesson
Your reflective account
Who this course is for
Registered health practitioners in New Zealand across all responsible authorities: doctors, nurses, midwives, oral health practitioners, pharmacists, paramedics, psychologists, physiotherapists and allied practitioners.
Continuing professional development record for your portfolio.
Your name, the course title and the CPD hours
Completion date and a unique certificate ID that can be verified
Downloads as a PDF; save it to your portfolio
Fitness To Practice
Certificate of Completion
This certifies that
Your Name
has successfully completed
Reflective Practice for Health Practitioners
Completed12 Oct 2026
2CPD hours
Certificate IDFTS-7Q4K-2M9X
Continuing professional development record — New Zealand
Questions about this course
Which recertification programmes require written reflection?
Reflection is built into most New Zealand programmes. The Dental Council requires written reflection, the Pharmacy Council requires one critical reflection a year in MyRecert, vocationally registered doctors reflect on practice and hold a structured conversation, and nurses give examples against each pou in a recertification audit. The course shows how to meet each format.
Are my reflective notes protected if a complaint is made?
Not in general. We found no statutory privilege for a practitioner's personal reflective notes in New Zealand. Section 44 of the HPCA Act protects statements made for competence reviews, competence programmes and recertification programmes, but its reach over private reflections is untested. The course teaches you to focus on learning, de-identify patients and assume reflections could be disclosed.
Which reflective models does the course teach?
You try five frameworks (Gibbs, Kolb, Rolfe's three questions, Johns and Brookfield) on real practice events, then use Hatton and Smith's levels to judge the depth of your writing and rewrite weak, descriptive reflection into critical reflection that identifies contributing factors and takes appropriate personal accountability.
Why is the reflective practice course 2 hours rather than 3?
It is designed as a focused skills course you can repeat each recertification cycle, so it is worth 2 CPD hours and costs NZ$109. The shorter length does not lower the bar: the end test is still 20 questions with 80% needed, and passing still earns the certificate plus a reflective account for your PDP.
Can the course help me write a reflective statement for HDC or a PCC?
Yes. One section shows how to structure an evidenced reflective statement for an HDC complaint, responsible authority notification or Professional Conduct Committee investigation, consistent with the clinical record and privacy obligations. It is general education, not legal advice, so check your statement with your indemnity provider, union or lawyer before you submit it.