Creating a sustainable future: A collective sense of self in occupational therapy

Background: Occupational therapists and the communities in which they practice, appear to be unable to clearly articulate their professional identity and the unique skills they can offer in health care service... [ view full abstract ]

Background:
Occupational therapists and the communities in which they practice, appear to be unable to clearly articulate their professional identity and the unique skills they can offer in health care service provision.(Clouder, 2003; Tryssenaar, 1999) There is a dual relationship between practice and identity formation within Communities of Practice (CoP) (Wenger, 1998). However, there is sparse evidence available to suggest that this dual relationship has been investigated within occupational therapy.
Method:
This research has developed a framework to be used to examine professional identity development within CoP.
Results:
Preliminary analysis has identified several discrete categories related to professional identity development and these include: the role of the CoP ; the role of the profession ; the role of supervision and the importance of ensuring the foundations for professional identity are embedded throughout occupational therapy education.
Conclusion:
A clear and well-articulated identity is imperative in order to create a future where occupational therapists can effectively cope with the external and internal pressures that influence practice. To do so the profession needs to return to traditional foundations to identify a collective sense of self that informs our future practice.
Application to Practice:
This research will assist the profession to strengthen that collective sense of self and identify its unique contribution to the communities in which we practice. It will also be valuable for occupational therapy educators engaged in curriculum design. Additionally managers of health care provision will have a specific detailed profile of the unique contribution occupational therapists bring in service provision.