Professionalism - A case for medical education to honour the societal contract

Abstract

BACKGROUND: This study explores the concept ofprofessionalism from the vantage point of a cohort of students as well as professionally qualified and practising occupational therapists. With the changes health care delivery is experiencing nationally as well as internationally, there is an urgent need to identify students and qualified professionals' expectations of what influences the development thereof, as well as elicit perceptions of attributes which contribute to professionalism. METHODS: The study is primarily a descriptive study with a specific focus on a mixed method of quantitative and qualitative research designs, using interpretative phenomenological analysis methodology. Data were gathered from 56 final-year and 55 professionally registered occupational therapists, who participated in a pen-and-paper questionnaire consisting of three sections. RESULTS: The results of this study indicated a clear differentiation between the influence of both the formal and hidden curricula and that clinical competence, client-centred practice and professional standards contributed mostly to professional behaviour. CONCLUSION: This study brings to light the experiences of students and professional practitioners to what they expect would influence the professional conduct. The findings are open to theoretical generalizability and raise issues that may be used by academic staff in the preparation of students to become more professional, as well of future Continuous Professional Development training. Key Words: Professionalism; Clinical competence; Client-Centred practice; Professional standards

What is Professionalism in Occupational Therapy? A Concept Analysis: Qu’est-ce que le professionnalisme en ergothérapie? Analyse de ce concept

“…For instance, authors have suggested that having a “strong sense of empathy” ( DeIuliis, 2017 , p. xxix), “respect for people’s language, culture and views” (Aguilar et al, 2013, p. 211), and “honesty […] by being transparent and authentic” (Drolet & Desormeaux-Moreau, 2015, p. 279) are shared values among allied health professionals that are antecedents to professionalism. Our analysis also proposed that individuals must develop specific occupational values such as enablement, including valorizing clients’ self-determination; and believing in clients’ potential ( Aguilar et al, 2012 , 2013; CAOT, 2012 ; Dillon, 2002 ; Mason & Mathieson, 2018 ; Nortje & De Jongh, 2017 ; Université Laval, 2019 ), occupational engagement, occupational balance, occupational participation, occupational performance, occupational signification ( Aguilar et al, 2012 , 2013; Hordichuk et al, 2015 ; Légis Québec, 2018 ), and occupational justice, including advocating for occupational opportunities and occupational rights ( Aguilar et al, 2012 ; Burford et al, 2014 ; Hordichuk et al, 2015 ; Kasar & Muscari, 2000 ; Légis Québec, 2018 ; Nortje & De Jongh, 2017 ; Robinson et al, 2012 ). Finally, training and experience should also be considered person-related antecedents of professionalism in occupational therapy.…”

“…Environmental antecedents concern the professional system and the organizational context in which occupational therapists evolve. The professional system , with its regulations and laws ( Bossers et al, 1999 ; Burford et al, 2014 ; CAOT, 2012 ; DeIuliis, 2017 ; Nortje & De Jongh, 2017 ; Sullivan & Thiessen, 2015 ; Université Laval, 2019 ), codes of ethics ( Bull, 2007 ; Randolph, 2003 ; Robinson et al, 2012 ), policies, and procedures ( Burford et al, 2014 ; Campbell et al, 2015 ; Mason & Mathieson, 2018 ; Robinson et al, 2012 ) has an influence on how professionalism develops and takes place on a daily basis. The organizational context with expectations of organizations and organizational functioning was also an antecedent of professionalism.…”

“…For clients, professionalism in occupational therapy tends to ensure that they receive competent and client-centred services . The authors reported that being professional lead occupational therapists to be “clinically competent” ( Campbell et al, 2015 , p. 5; Nortje & De Jongh, 2017 , p. 42;). For Glennon and Van Oss (2010) , adopting professional attitudes and behaviours may “improve client-centred interventions” (p. 13).…”

“…by being transparent and authentic" (Drolet & Desormeaux-Moreau, 2015, p. 279) are shared values among allied health professionals that are antecedents to professionalism. Our analysis also proposed that individuals must develop specific occupational values such as enablement, including valorizing clients' self-determination; and believing in clients' potential (Aguilar et al, 2012(Aguilar et al, , 2013CAOT, 2012;Dillon, 2002;Mason & Mathieson, 2018;Nortje & De Jongh, 2017;Université Laval, 2019), occupational engagement, occupational balance, occupational participation, occupational performance, occupational signification (Aguilar et al, 2012(Aguilar et al, , 2013Hordichuk et al, 2015;Légis Québec, 2018), and occupational justice, including advocating for occupational opportunities and occupational rights (Aguilar et al, 2012;Burford et al, 2014;Hordichuk et al, 2015;Kasar & Muscari, 2000;Légis Québec, 2018;Nortje & De Jongh, 2017;Robinson et al, 2012 Therapists, 2017, p. 14). For students or new graduates, fieldwork experience would be of importance for development of professionalism (Glennon & Van Oss, 2010), notably because it allows one to understand roles and responsibilities, and to apprehend how to manage knowledge in concrete situations (Bossers et al, 1999;Robinson et al, 2012).…”

“…Furthermore, education, professional development, and work experience have an influence on the development of professionalism. For instance, Nortje and De Jongh (2017) suggested that continuous professional development training is an important factor in maintaining professionalism for clinicians. Environmental antecedents concern the professional system and the organizational context in which occupational therapists evolve.…”