Driscoll Model of Reflection

What is the Driscoll Model of Reflection?

The concept of the reflection model was put forward in a publication by John Driscoll back in 1994. It was built on three main questions initially posed by Terry Borton about 25 years earlier (Driscoll, 1994). This is among most popular frameworks of reflective writing not only because it describes an event, but also gives you deeper insight: it supports processing reflection, understanding significance behind the events, and applying those learnings in future actions.

The model can be summarized as three straightforward questions:

• What? Describe the situation and significant points of the event.
• So What? Reflect on the learning, understand the decisions that were made, and consider their implications.
• Now What? Make a plan to apply the learning from this experience in order to improve your work and life.

This format is often used because it is quick to follow and not reduces reflection into a simple list of requirements As seen in the figure below, there is logical progression for you from experience to interpretation to a plan, hence, the model proves to be very useful if you wish to show you are genuinely learning from your practical work.

Mostly, you will see Driscoll’s Model of reflection, in student nurses and midwives, social work logs, and teaching practices and educational placements as well as in records related to a Continuous Professional Development (CPD), nurse revalidation files (NMC), and Practice Assessment Documents (PADs). Its use across so many professional and educational environments is one of the reasons why this model has become the go-to reflection for writing assignments: it is likely every student will face this tool at least once during his or her studies regardless it is a diary of practice or a portfolio submission.

The Three Stages of Driscoll Reflective Model

The questions below can help you move beyond description and produce a more analytical reflection. 

What? (The Description)

The What? stage focuses on the key facts of the experience. 

• What happened and where did it take place?
• Who else was involved, and what role did each person have in the situation?
• What were you trying to achieve at the time?
• What actions did you take, and what influenced those actions?
• What was the immediate outcome of the situation?
• What was surprising, unexpected, or concerning about what happened?
• What did you notice about the reactions, behaviour, or responses of others?

Strong responses focus on relevant facts, actions, and outcomes rather than unnecessary background detail. 

So What? (The Analysis)

The ‘So What?’ stage of Driscoll reflective model tells why the experience is important and what it finds out about your practice. 

• How did you feel during the event and immediately afterwards?
• Why do you think the situation unfolded the way it did?
• What knowledge, skills, values, or assumptions influenced your decisions?
• What does this experience reveal about your practice? 
• How does the situation relate to professional, ethical, organisational, or wider contemporary issues in nursing practice? 
• What were the consequences for you, the people involved, or the wider team?
• What might have happened if you had responded differently?
• Were there any gaps between what you expected to happen and what actually happened?

Here strong answers analyse decisions, consequences, and learning instead of just focusing on feelings. 

Now What? (The Action Plan)

The last ‘Now What?’ stage clearly focuses on applying the learning to future practices. 

• What specific changes will you make to your practice or approach?
• What knowledge, skills, or behaviors do you need to develop further?
• What resources, support, or training would help you make those improvements?
• How will you apply this learning in a similar situation in the future?
• What barriers could prevent change, and how will you address them?
• How will you know whether the changes have been effective?
• How will this experience influence your future professional development and decision-making?

Strong responses identify specific and measurable actions rather than broad intentions to improve. 

How to Write a Driscoll Reflection Assignment?

If you are writing a Driscoll reflection for an assignment, here is how to distribute your words. 

Assignment length	What?	So What?	Now What?	Intro + conclusion
800 words	150	350	200	100
1,000 words	200	450	250	100
1,500 words	300	650	400	150
2,000 words	400	850	550	200

In most assignments, the So What? stage should receive the largest share of your word count because this is where analysis, critical reflection, and evidence of learning are demonstrated. 

Driscoll (1994 vs 2007): Comparison and Key Differences 

The 1994 Driscoll Model is the version most students use in reflective assignments. It is based on three questions—'What?', 'So What?', and Now What?—which guide you from describing an experience to analysing it and identifying future actions (Driscoll, 1994). Its simple structure makes it suitable for essays, learning logs, CPD records, and general reflective writing.

In 2007, Driscoll expanded the model into a 7-stage cycle for clinical supervision and healthcare practice (Driscoll, 2007). The cycle alternates between reflection and action:

• Having an experience

• Reflecting on the experience

• Identifying what was learned

• Turning learning into action

• Applying that learning in practice

• Reflecting on the outcome

•  Continuing the cycle through ongoing development

The 2007 version changed how reflection is used by embedding it within an ongoing cycle of action, learning, and review. The 2007 version focuses on continuous learning and practice improvement, making it more suitable for nursing portfolios, clinical supervision, professional development, and revalidation. By contrast, the 1994 model remains the better choice for most academic reflective assignments. As a general rule, cite the 1994 version for standard reflective writing and the 2007 version when reflection is linked to clinical practice or supervision.

Students exploring reflective models in professional communication may also find it useful to compare how communication theories and reflective frameworks support practice development. 

Quick Comparison

Aspect	1994 Version	2007 Version
Structure	3-question model	7-stage cycle
Focus	General reflection	Clinical supervision and development
Best for	Assignments, CPD logs	Portfolios, supervision, revalidation
Cite when	General reflective writing is required	Clinical supervision or healthcare practice is the context

References

Driscoll, J. (1994) ‘Reflective practice for practise,’ Senior Nurse, 13(1), pp. 47–50.

Driscoll, J. (2007) Practising Clinical Supervision: A Reflective Approach for Healthcare Professionals. 2nd edn. Edinburgh: Bailliere Tindall Elsevier. 

Driscoll Model of Reflection Nursing Example: Postoperative Pain Management Scenario

This section shows the application of the Driscoll Model to an actual nursing placement in the UK. This example illustrates how the Driscoll Model can be applied in a realistic nursing placement situation involving patient communication, clinical judgment, and professional accountability. Many nursing students are familiar with the model but find it hard to demonstrate the level of analysis university markers are looking for. The example below shows how a situation in a single ward can be written in a focused, first-person reflective style, focusing on decision-making, patient impact, and professional responsibility rather than just description. It shows the clarity and depth that one would expect for a 2:1 or first-class submission for nursing education.

What? (Describing the Experience Clearly)

I was working on an afternoon shift on a surgical ward as a student nurse, helping a registered nurse with routine observation and patient care. At 16:10 I noticed that the postoperative patient’s pain level had increased from 4 to 7, and they were also visibly distressed when trying to move. I saw the change, but I did not tell the senior nurse about it because I was doing observations for another patient and thought we could mention it when we changed patients. This led to the pain of the patient not being reassessed until the handover which delayed pain management.

So What? (Analysing Meaning and Impact)

I was under pressure from the workload and was focused on getting things done before handover. Afterwards, I was concerned that I didn’t pass on important information about the patient’s condition.

In retrospect, the problem was not my judgment of the pain but my failure to move the change up immediately. I saw the pain was getting worse, but thought it could wait until handover, the patient seemed stable. This presumption affected my clinical judgment and resulted in a delay in reassessment. This experience taught me that there is no point in spotting a problem if you don't tell the right person about it quickly.

The NMC Code (2018) says that nurses must share information to support safe and effective care. I realized the patient's pain was worsening but I didn't fully fulfill this responsibility as I did not communicate this in a timely manner. A structured approach from communication frameworks in nursing could have given me a clearer, more confident way to escalate the concern.

The outcome was not serious but the delay may have prolonged the patient’s discomfort and created unnecessary work for the team during handover.

Now What? (Turning Reflection into Action)

In future placements I will immediately escalate any significant change in a patient’s condition to the registered nurse and not wait until handover. To be consistent I will use SBAR every time I communicate a clinical concern, regardless of workload or time pressure.

To develop this skill I will ask my practice assessor to observe two handovers and give me specific feedback on the clarity and timeliness of my communication. If I can confidently communicate concerns, receive positive feedback from supervisors, and demonstrate consistent handover practice, I will know these changes are effective. Enhancing this practice will help me to provide safer care and get ready for the responsibilities of registered nursing.”

This reflection moves beyond description by examining why the decision was made, linking practice to professional standards, and setting measurable actions for improvement. These are the features that often distinguish stronger reflective assignments from those that simply recount an event. 

Common Mistakes Students Make When Using the Driscoll Model of Reflection

When reflective assignments are marked, certain patterns come up repeatedly in feedback. 

Marker feedback comment	What it actually signals	Which stage it affects
Too descriptive	Writing remains at event level without analysis or meaning-making	So What?
Limited critical evaluation	No interrogation of decisions, assumptions, or outcomes	So What?
Future actions are unclear or generic	Action is stated but not defined, measurable, or practice-based	Now What?
No evidence or theory	Missing link to professional standards, frameworks, or models	So What?
Lacks depth in analysis	Description is repeated instead of being interpreted	So What?
Insufficient self-awareness	Own role in the situation is not examined critically	What? + So What?
Weak professional linkage	Reflection is not clearly aligned with clinical expectations or assessed practice standards	So What?

Understanding these common marking expectations can help students develop more analytical reflections and demonstrate the level of critical thinking required in healthcare assessments.

Driscoll Model: From Descriptive Reflection to Critical Reflection

Most assignments lose marks not because the model is used incorrectly, but because the reflection stays descriptive instead of analytical. The difference is not in what happened, but in how deeply it is examined.

• Reflection (descriptive → lower marks)
  I felt stressed during the handover because there was not enough time. I knew I should have told the nurse about the change in the patient’s pain, but I thought it could wait until the end of the shift. Next time I will try to communicate earlier.

• Critical Reflection (analytical → higher marks)
  The time pressure in handover exposed a weakness in my prioritisation of patient safety over task completion. I assumed that a change in pain levels could wait until handover rather than escalating it straight away and this delayed clinical review. The decision was influenced by workload pressure and an erroneous perception that stability reduced urgency. I should have escalated the change with SBAR and not delayed as per professional expectations re safe communication. It points out I need to work on my interpretation of clinical urgency under pressure. 

Higher marks are usually awarded for the quality of analysis, not the amount of writing. Higher-marking reflections question decisions, expose assumptions, and link actions to professional expectations rather than simply describing feelings or intentions.

Higher marks come from justifying decisions under pressure, not just describing what happened during the experience. 

Driscoll vs Gibbs vs Kolb: Which Model Should You Use?

The best reflective model totally depends on what types of assignments you’re writing and what their requirements, word count, and level of analysis are expected to be. 

-	Driscoll	Gibbs	Kolb
Stages	3 (or 7)	6	4
Emotional depth	Low–moderate	High	Low
Theory integration	Optional	Optional	Central
Best assignment length	500–1,500 words	1,000–2,500 words	1,500+ words
Nursing placement use	Very common	Very common	Less common
Best for	Placements, CPD logs, shorter reflections	Longer reflective essays and emotionally complex experiences	Theory-driven learning and academic analysis

If your lecturer has specified a model, follow that requirement. When you have a choice, Driscoll is often the most efficient option for shorter placement reflections, Gibbs suits assignments requiring deeper emotional evaluation, and Kolb is most useful when learning theory forms part of the assessment. 

Advantages and Limitations of Driscoll's Model

The Driscoll reflective model is popular because it is simple, practical, and very easy to apply. But like any reflective framework, it also has limitations that can raise concerns towards suitability in some kinds of assignments. Below are the clear advantages and limitations for better usage. 

Advantages:

• Simple three-question structure that is easy to understand and use
• Flexible across nursing, education, social work, and other professional fields
• Focuses on action and improvement, not just reflection
• Quick to apply in shorter assignments, CPD logs, and placement reflections
• Widely recognised by UK universities and healthcare organisations.

Limitations

• Can result in surface-level reflection if responses lack detail
• Provides less emotional exploration than Gibbs' Reflective Cycle
• Does not require theory integration, which may limit advanced academic analysis
• Over-reliance on the model can lead to predictable and formulaic writing. 

Conclusion

Driscoll's Model is most effective when it is used as a tool for analysing practice rather than simply documenting experience. By working through the questions What?, So What?, and Now What?, students can move beyond simply describing events and demonstrate the critical analysis, professional judgement, and forward planning expected in higher-marking assignments.

Whether you are writing a placement reflection, learning log, CPD record, or university assessment, the strongest reflections focus on analysing why an event mattered and how the learning will influence future practice. When supported by relevant theory, evidence, and professional standards, Driscoll's model can help produce reflections that are both academically robust and professionally meaningful.

Need academic guidance? Our nursing academic support team can help students understand reflective frameworks, and then Native Assignment Help UK can provide you detailed guidance over nursing reflections, reflective models, and academic writing. This will help you to meet your university standards with confidence. 

References

Borton, T. (1970) Reach, Touch and Teach. London: Hutchinson.

Driscoll, J. (1994) ‘Reflective practice for practise’, Senior Nurse, 13(1), pp. 47–50.

Driscoll, J. (2007) Practising Clinical Supervision: A Reflective Approach for Healthcare Professionals. 2nd edn. Edinburgh: Bailliere Tindall Elsevier.

Nursing and Midwifery Council (2018) The Code: Professional Standards of Practice and Behaviour for Nurses, Midwives and Nursing Associates. London: NMC.

Schön, D.A. (1983) The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action. New York: Basic Books.

Rolfe, G., Freshwater, D. and Jasper, M. (2001) Critical Reflection in Nursing and the Helping Professions: A User’s Guide. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.