Setting up Connect, Pause and Reflect group sessions

The nature of reflective sessions

Watch this brief video, which provides on overview of the nature of the Connect, Pause and Reflect reflective sessions. It includes facilitator reflections on what is important when running sessions and how being a facilitator has impacted clinicians.

Choosing to be a facilitator

Co-facilitating with a colleague is strongly encouraged, to provide support, learning, and the opportunity to debrief following the sessions.

Facilitator prerequisites

  • Experiencing a Connect, Pause and Reflect session/s. 
  • Ensuring you are familiar with the Connect, Pause and Reflect suite of resources including: 
    • relevant audio podcasts
    • selected clinician quotes (written/auditory) to utilise during sessions
  • Ensuring that you understand the importance of psychological safety and have watched the Importance of Psychological Safety video.
  • Choosing a co-facilitator.

Facilitator responsibilities

  • Being mindful of the psychological safety of all participants.
  • Being well-versed in the pathways of support available in the facilitator’s organisational setting and ensure that participants are made aware of these supports.
  • Gently redirecting participants if they veer off topic, for example: 
    • if discussing operational or systemic issues
    • if disrespecting personal or professional boundaries.

Choosing a format

Planning and preparation are essential for Connect, Pause and Reflect group sessions.

The Connect, Pause and Reflect resources are designed to be used in a flexible way (that is, face-to-face sessions in the workplace via Zoom or Microsoft Teams or in a hybrid model).

Models of implementation

  • To maintain psychological safety in online sessions, participants should ensure their own privacy and the confidentiality of others by wearing headphones in shared spaces.
  • Participants should ensure that their cameras are on and their audio is working.

Location

  • Quiet workspace such as a meeting room. 
  • Chairs ideally situated in a circle.

Regularity

  • Sessions are more valuable when continued at regular intervals.
  • Meeting regularly may create a sense of belonging for participants, encourage them to reflect, provide mutual support and boost morale.

Duration

  • Typically, an online session runs for one hour focusing on one topic area utilising the suggested prompts. 
  • Groups may wish to run longer sessions focusing on more than one topic, at their discretion. 

Creating a group

Participation and group size

  • Participation is voluntary.
  • Approximately 6 to 12 clinicians is ideal.

Ideal group composition

A mix of clinicians (nurses, doctors and allied health staff). Diversity of roles, expertise, age, and gender is often enriching. 

Selecting a session focus

Choosing a topic

  • A session focus may be selected from the Topics section.
  • Alternatively, groups may choose any focus of relevance to their local setting for reflection using the Connect, Pause and Reflect model.

Topic prompts

  • The discussion prompts included for each of the main topics should be reviewed. 
  • These may act as a starting point to help stimulate reflection and conversation. 

Invitation

Facilitators can invite participants via email or in-person to join a Connect, Pause and Reflect group. The invitation should include the following:

Each participant chooses whether to participate and should be made aware of group membership in advance.