Developing theory and practice: Creation of a Community of Practice through Action Research produced excellence in stroke care

Much emphasis is placed on expert knowledge like evidence-based stroke guidelines, with insufficient attention paid to processes required to translate this into delivery of everyday good care. This paper highlights the worth of creating a Community of Practice (CoP) as a means to achieve this. Drawi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of interprofessional care 2011-03, Vol.25 (2), p.91-97
Main Authors: Kilbride, Cherry, Perry, Lin, Flatley, Mary, Turner, Emma, Meyer, Julienne
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Action Research
Community of Practice
Community-Based Participatory Research
Cooperative Behavior
Evidence based
evidence-based healthcare
Evidence-Based Practice
First time
Health care
Health Services Research - organization & administration
Humans
Interprofessional Relations
interprofessional team
Learning
Patient Care Team - organization & administration
stroke
Stroke - therapy
Stroke Unit
Strokes
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Summary:Much emphasis is placed on expert knowledge like evidence-based stroke guidelines, with insufficient attention paid to processes required to translate this into delivery of everyday good care. This paper highlights the worth of creating a Community of Practice (CoP) as a means to achieve this. Drawing on findings from a study conducted in 20002002 of processes involved in establishing a nationally lauded high quality Stroke Unit, it demonstrates how successful development of a new service was linked to creation of a CoP. Recent literature suggests CoPs have a key in implementing evidence-based practice; this study supports this claim whilst revealing for the first time the practical knowledge and skills required to develop this style of working. Findings indicate that participatory and democratic characteristics of Action Research are congruent with the collaborative approach required for developing a CoP. The study is an exemplar of how practitioner researchers can capture learning from changing practice, thus contributing to evidence-based healthcare with theoretical and practical knowledge. Findings are relevant to those developing stroke services globally but also to those interested in evidence-based practice.
ISSN:1356-1820
1469-9567
DOI:10.3109/13561820.2010.483024