Communities of Practice: A Knowledge Translation Tool for Rehabilitation Professionals

Bezyak, Jill; Ditchman, Nicole; Burke, Jana; Chan, Fong

doi:10.1891/2168-6653.27.2.89

Cited by 11 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…In recent times there have been substantial advances in knowledge synthesis (Graham et al, 2006) of conversation therapy research (Simmons-Mackie et al, 2010, 2014, however knowledge tools and products (Graham et al, 2006) are still lacking, hence the BCA wider project that contextualises this study. It is clear that ongoing communication is needed for effective knowledge translation and implementation, and as such, conversation therapy communities of practice are a possible mechanism for moving the field forward (Bezyak, Ditchman, Burke, & Chan, 2013).…”

Section: Application Of Research Within Slt Practicementioning

confidence: 99%

Professionals’ perspectives on delivering conversation therapy in clinical practice

2017

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Background: Aphasia and other acquired language impairments have the potential to impact greatly on quality of life by disrupting everyday conversation. Different intervention approaches are available to speech and language therapists (SLTs), such as targeting the language impairment itself and/or addressing activity or participation barriers. Conversation therapy is one approach that is gaining in popularity, with a growing evidence base. However, it is not clear how SLTs currently use conversation approaches and what factors may influence delivery. Aims: To investigate how SLTs (i) define conversation therapy, (ii) deliver it in clinical practice, and identify (iii) any challenges faced. Methods & Procedures: An online survey and focus group explored how SLTs working in the south east of England currently deliver conversation therapy to support people with a range of communication disorders, in particular aphasia. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic content analysis. Outcomes & Results: A total of 50 SLTs completed the survey and 6 participants attended the focus group. Conversation therapy was found to be widely employed by participants, however there was considerable variation in the approaches used, and a number of major challenges were raised. SLTs reported delivering conversation therapy with a range of client groups and preferably working with the client and partner together. Conversation goals predominantly reflected an approach based on: (i) strategy use and/or total communication (TC), and (ii) Conversation Analysis. Three overarching themes around conversation therapy emerged from the focus group: (1) What is conversation therapy? (2) showing it works, and (3) complexities of delivering it. SLTs acknowledged the benefit of conversation therapy but felt they lacked the tools and skills needed to deliver it. Conclusions: SLTs wanted to use conversation therapy and desired clear outcome measures to demonstrate its effectiveness, but were not accessing the available evidence base, highlighting the ongoing difficulty of translating research into clinical practice. Whilst these data are limited by the small number of participants, the study provides a first view of how conversation therapy is articulated in practice. Further investigation of conversation therapy delivery is warranted with a larger sample of SLTs based across the United Kingdom, as is comparison with practice in other countries.

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Section: Application Of Research Within Slt Practicementioning

confidence: 99%

Professionals’ perspectives on delivering conversation therapy in clinical practice

2017

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“…Member satisfaction with the platform confirmed that the right direction was taken, and the survey comments encouraged the team to provide ongoing support for optimal use of the tool. In accordance with the literature on communities of practice (Bezyak, Ditchman, Burke, & Chan, 2013;Mazer et al, 2015), sustained frequent use of the tool requires dynamic and ongoing facilitation. With this particular platform, facilitation takes the form of continually adding new references, which leads to notifications as well as the publication of news items and newsletters.…”

Section: Synthesis Of Results On the Content Initially Provided To Mementioning

confidence: 67%

A Community of Practice for Deafblindness to Exchange Knowledge and Rehabilitation Practices

Gavouyère

Houtekier

Wittich

2019

Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness

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A community of practice is defined as a "group of persons who share a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise in this area by interacting on an ongoing basis" (Wenger, McDermott, & Snyder, 2002, p. 4). By linking these individuals who do not work together every day, a community of practice provides better knowledge sharing, reduces isolation, and fosters a form of collaboration that can lead to innovation (Mazer et al., 2015). Communities of practice are more flexible structures than are work teams or committees. They can be intra-or interorganizational and involve contact that is faceto-face, virtual, or a mixture of the two. Li and colleagues (2009) identified four characteristics of communities of practice in their systematic review: social interaction, knowledge sharing, knowledge creation, and identity building.

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“…In addition, commonly used EBPs can be incorporated into easy-to-use tool kits that are widely accessible to counselors. Bezyak and colleagues (Bezyak, Ditchman, Burke, & Chan, 2013; Bezyak, Yan, Kang, Burke, & Chan, 2014) advocated for the use of a community of practice (CoP) to involve stakeholders in the social construction of knowledge (practice). A CoP is composed of a group of individuals with a shared concern regarding a problem or set of problems, a shared passion regarding the topic, and an interest in increasing knowledge and expertise in the area through regular interaction (Bezyak et al, 2014).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perceived Preparedness to Implement Evidence-Based Practice by Certified Rehabilitation Counselors: A Qualitative Content Analysis

Fitzgerald

Leahy

Kang

et al. 2016

Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin

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The implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP) in rehabilitation counseling has the potential to improve the effectiveness of vocational rehabilitation (VR) services and employment outcomes of people with disabilities. The purpose of this content analysis was to explore certified rehabilitation counselors' (CRCs) perceptions of the effectiveness of EBP and their preparedness to implement EBP in a variety of rehabilitation counseling settings. Three hundred fourteen CRCs responded to two open-ended questions related to their perceived effectiveness and preparedness to use EBP in VR service delivery practices. Results of this content analysis indicate that CRCs generally recognize the value of EBP and support its use in rehabilitation counseling. However, they identified major individual-level and organizational-level barriers that could hinder the implementation of EBP in the professional practice of rehabilitation counseling. Strong administrative support, adequate funding, time, and continuous training to update skills will be needed to fully implement EBP in rehabilitation counseling.

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Communities of Practice: A Knowledge Translation Tool for Rehabilitation Professionals

Cited by 11 publications

References 36 publications

Professionals’ perspectives on delivering conversation therapy in clinical practice

Professionals’ perspectives on delivering conversation therapy in clinical practice

A Community of Practice for Deafblindness to Exchange Knowledge and Rehabilitation Practices

Perceived Preparedness to Implement Evidence-Based Practice by Certified Rehabilitation Counselors: A Qualitative Content Analysis

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