Portfolios with Evidence of Reflective Practice Required by Regulatory Bodies: An Integrative Review

Abstract

Purpose: Regulatory bodies impose continuing professional development (CPD) requirements on health care professionals (HCPs) as a condition for license revalidation. Many regulatory bodies require annual evidence of CPD activities that are informed by reflective practices, guided by learning plans, and compiled into a portfolio. The purpose of this integrative review is to summarize the literature discussing how regulatory bodies use portfolios with evidence of reflection for licensure renewal. Method: We reviewed English-language articles published until May 2020 discussing evidence of CPD and reflective practice in portfolios in the context of licensure renewal. Results: We located 17 articles for the review. None reported or measured outcomes beyond submission of reflective evidence. Sixteen articles (93%) included information about passive learning resources that regulatory bodies provided to help guide HCPs’ reflective learning activities. HCPs’ feedback about using reflective learning activities indicated mixed opinions about their utility. Conclusions: Few publications reported how jurisdictions expected HCPs to provide evidence of reflective practices for licensure renewal. None of the regulatory bodies required evidence regarding the impact of reflective practice on patient or organizational outcomes. HCPs reported both benefits and challenges of a mandated reflective process.

Developing a CPD model for Eswatini—a participatory action research study

“…CPD is an important part of equipping practitioners with the skills and knowledge to meet the challenges they encounter in their daily practice. Literature highlights that the quality and quantity of the CPD activities undertaken also has a correlation with the quality of professional practice [36,37]. There are many models of CPD that can be developed and implemented in Eswatini, and any such model needs to be of appropriate quality for it to have meaningful impact.…”

“…It is known that workplace learning can be enhanced through reflecting on experiences at work [24]. A key part in reflective practice is personalized and objective feedback, which must be provided for each reflective case sent for it to be effective [37]. Such feedback can utilise mentors, who can be specialists in the field and offer guidance and support or senior medical officers working in the facility [37].…”

Developing a CPD model for Eswatini- A Participatory Action Research study.

“…It is known that workplace learning can be enhanced through re ecting on experiences at work(16). A key part in re ective practice is personalized and objective feedback, which has to be provided for each re ective case sent for it to be effective (29). Such feedback can utilise mentors, who can be specialists in the particular eld and offer guidance and support or senior Medical o cers working in the facility (29).…”

“…A key part in re ective practice is personalized and objective feedback, which has to be provided for each re ective case sent for it to be effective (29). Such feedback can utilise mentors, who can be specialists in the particular eld and offer guidance and support or senior Medical o cers working in the facility (29). Providing protected time for completion of re ective cases and making documenting these cases online/electronically has been shown to assist with improving compliance rates (29).…”

“…Such feedback can utilise mentors, who can be specialists in the particular eld and offer guidance and support or senior Medical o cers working in the facility (29). Providing protected time for completion of re ective cases and making documenting these cases online/electronically has been shown to assist with improving compliance rates (29). Using a validated framework such as Kirkpatrick's learning evaluation (which is used for undergraduate learning) can be useful in evaluating the effectiveness of re ective activities (29).…”