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Communities of practice: A means to support occupational therapists’ continuing professional development. A literature review
Author(s) -
Barry Margot,
KuijerSiebelink Wietske,
Nieuwenhuis Loek,
Scherpbierde Haan Nynke
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
australian occupational therapy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.595
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1440-1630
pISSN - 0045-0766
DOI - 10.1111/1440-1630.12334
Subject(s) - occupational therapy , continuing professional development , professional development , psychology , medical education , nursing , medicine , psychiatry
Background This literature review investigates what research reports about the contribution that communities of practice (CoPs) can make in the continuing professional development ( CPD ) of qualified occupational therapists. Methods Academic databases ( CINAHL , MEDLINE and ERIC ) were searched and articles were included based on pre‐determined criteria. Five articles were included in the review. Results The CoPs in the reviewed articles provided opportunities for knowledge sharing, knowledge translation, reflection on action and learning through boundary crossing. The presence of professionals with diverse perspectives was an important ingredient that facilitated CPD . Conclusion Research into the use of CoPs in occupational therapy is sparse. CoPs could provide a CPD forum for occupational therapists whether online or face to face. Practitioners are encouraged to participate in CoPs. Further research into the use of CoPs is recommended.