04/07/2006 Ann Winter

Communities of Practice and Professional Work Based Learning

Sue First

Trish Houghton

Ann Winter

04/07/2006 Ann Winter

Context• New Postgraduate masters

programme in Health & Social Care• Tender (June 2004) to first student

intake 7 months (January 2005)• Currently 70 active students• Work based learning commissioned by

NWSHA in partnership with University of Salford, Primary Care Trusts and Ambulance Trust

• Purpose is to prepare a workforce for the NHS & Social Care Changing the Workforce programme

• Competency based• Roles are 80% clinically focussed• Constant change e.g. SHA and PCT

mergers

04/07/2006 Ann Winter

Advanced Practitioners

• The MSc Advanced Practice programme facilitates the expert development of advanced knowledge and skills in experienced non-medical registered professionals so that in clearly defined circumstances they can provide services hitherto supplied by doctors

• Community matrons• Run clinics which enhance/replace GP/Consultant

services• Triage patients – prevent need to see GP• Examine, diagnose and treat patients with minor injuries

04/07/2006 Ann Winter

Work based learning

• Looking to expert practitioners/organisations to share knowledge and expertise and to engage with us in the development of the new Advanced Practitioners

Shared repertoire

Joint enterprise

Mutual engagement

Advanced Practitioner

04/07/2006 Ann Winter

Communities of Practice(CoP)

• Groups of people who share concerns, passions and a sustained pursuit of shared enterprise, expertise and knowledge

Wenger E (1998) Communities of Practice. Learning, Meaning and Identity. Cambridge University Press

• Interdependent community who have been brought together in a collective manner to make sense of being an Advanced Practitioner and to do the job of providing a learning curriculum supported by work based learning

04/07/2006 Ann Winter

Constellations of CoP

• Discipline specific – GP’s, hospital doctors, nurses, midwives, health visitors, physiotherapists, podiatrists etc

• Primary Care Trusts x9 • Health Centres• NWSHA- Workforce &

Modernisation, Champions• University• Programme team• Trainee Advanced

Practitioners

04/07/2006 Ann Winter

How to spot a CoP

• Interest in developing tools, documents, use of language indicative of learning organisation

• Participation (varying levels) in the development of advancing knowledge and experience of being an Advanced Practitioner

• Interpersonal engagement with us ie course committee membership, championing role within organisation, collegiate and positive manner

• Negotiating practice

04/07/2006 Ann Winter

Brokering Work BasedLearning• The University community

includes 3 Learning Facilitators whose major role is to broker work based learning opportunities:

- in

- between

- across communities

04/07/2006 Ann Winter

Brokering

• Making new connections across/between communities

• Open new possibilities of meaning of Advanced Practitioner roles

• Facilitate access/activities• Legitimising participation of Trainee Advanced

Practitioner in Community of Practice• Facilitate interpretation• Enable co-ordination

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Brokering processes

• Translation• Coordination• Alignment of perspectives• Mobilises attention• Addresses conflicting interests• Link communities of practice• Practice development• Enabling opening of the black box of tacit

knowledge through drawing attention to how things are done and noticing and articulating what is not said

04/07/2006 Ann Winter

Brokering encounters

• 1:1conversations

• Visiting a practice – immersion

• Meetings – delegations of communities exchange e.g. Champions meetings, PCT Workforce/Steering groups, Mentor/Assessor preparation workshops, Team meetings – Collective brokering

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Brokering experience

• Membership/Non membership• Multimembership• Fuzzy Set - neither IN or OUT• Invisible work• Exciting• Challenging• Best of both worlds• Value is often not recognised (FISH CAN’T SEE

WATER)

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Value to organisation

• Connection of expertise and professionals• Rapid information exchange/advice across/between

communities• Analysis and diagnosis of needs and issues• Co-participation in curriculum• Strengthening and improving quality assurance• Ongoing market opportunities• Create shared tools, standards, documents etc• Creative decision making• Reliable/positive communication• Effective responses to difficulties• Mutual trust and respect

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Community of Knowledgeand Practice• Shared history • Shared evolving language of

co-participation • Shared ways of doing things

together• Continuing mutual

relationships• Continuing Advanced

Practitioner Community of Practice

• Continued synthesis of shared meanings