The Competence Committee has completed the 2016 audit of the Reflective Practice Review.
The Competence Committee audited 121 submissions.
Breakdown of audit pool:
- 112 regulated members randomly selected
- 8 regulated members directed by Competence Committee or Registrar
- 1 regulated member voluntarily submitted Learning Planner and Tracker for review
- 1 regulated member granted a deferral until 2017
Results for audit
- 121 Learning Planner and Trackers and 107 Patient Care Reflection Tools were reviewed
- 109 (90%) received a satisfactory rating on their initial Learning Planner and Tracker (34% Comprehensive, 56% Adequate).
- 104 (98%) received a satisfactory rating on their initial Patient Care Reflection Tool (49% Comprehensive, 49% Adequate).
- 13 (10%) submissions were deemed unsatisfactory. These were directed be to revised and resubmitted for re-audit.
- Upon re-audit, 12 regulated members satisfactorily met the audit criteria (50% Comprehensive, 50% Adequate). 1 was deemed insufficient.
- All 13 members whose initial submission were deemed unsatisfactory are directed to participate in the 2017 audit as well.
| Rating Category | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Comprehensive |
Adequate |
Insufficient |
Inadequate |
Not Applicable |
|
Initial Rating Learning Planner and Tracker (n=121) |
41 (34%) |
68 (56%) |
6 (5%) |
6 (5%) |
0 |
Final Rating Learning Planner and Tracker (n=120) |
47 (39%) |
72 (60%) |
1 (1%) |
0 (0%) |
1 |
Initial Rating Patient Care Reflection (n=107) |
52 (49%) |
52 (49%) |
3 (3%) |
0 (0%) |
14 |
Final Rating Patient Care Reflection (n=107) |
53 (50%) |
54 (50%) |
0 (0%) |
0 (0%) |
14 |
In the final audit of the Learning Planner and Trackers, only 120 were reviewed because the Committee chose not to render a decision on 1 resubmission to allow the regulated member to complete their learning activities listed in their Learning Plan.
Impressions from the Competence Committee
An overwhelming majority of audited regulated members successfully met the Reflective Practice Review audit criteria. The Patient Care Reflections were particularly well completed, as they provided a snapshot into physiotherapist’s adaptive expertise, (how they apply their knowledge). A number of Competence Committee members remarked that they learn so much by reading the patient reflections.
When they thought improvements were needed it usually dealt with one or more of the following:
- Providing detailed information to demonstrate awareness of current resources to support clinical practice decisions by citing specific resources, research, guidelines, tests, texts use for assessment, treatment, and measurement of outcomes.
- Choosing learning goals that are meaningful and relevant to advancing one’s physiotherapy practice (not business practices).
- Selecting and writing specific and achievable learning goals.
- Ensuring at least three learning activities are listed and show both the gathering of information from a variety of sources as well as the processing and application to practice.
- Providing sufficient information (through narratives) to demonstrate higher order thinking skills (evaluation, synthesis and creation of ideas, articulation of new insights, challenging assumptions).
Unanticipated outcomes of the audit
- 28 (23%) members submitted a Learning Planner and Tracker on a version of a form that was only posted to the website at the end of November 2016.
- It was expected that only the original version of the Learning Planner and Tracker form would be submitted, because at renewal, members declared that they completed the program steps, including completion of the form available at the time declarations were made.
- The Committee requested all 28 regulated member’s documents from their portfolio (2012 to 2016) as well as written responses as to why they used the new form.
- Responses resulted in three themes:
- 32% (9) had supporting evidence of forms completion.
- 42% (12) did not include supporting evidence of forms completion.
- 25% (7) had not completed the documents as declared.
- After considering the responses, including whether to make a referral to the Complaints Director, 21 members (numbers 2 and 3 above) were directed to participate in next year’s audit.
Evolving the Reflective Practice Review
The Reflective Practice Review is a cognitive educational strategy intended to result in changes to one or more of the following: knowledge, attitudes, skills, behaviours, practices or processes. It encourages reflective judgment and critical thinking about professional competencies and practices. It is guided by the following principles.
- Physiotherapists are self-directed and will use the outcomes of reflection and systematic learning planning to improve competence.
- The Essential Competencies for Physiotherapists in Canada provides the foundation for ongoing competence assessment.
- Clinical reflection includes examining patient care practices and related evidence for practice.
- Other methods of reflection are acceptable to inform self-assessment and learning.
The Competence Committee believes a majority of physiotherapists are meeting the Reflective Practice Review’s purpose and principles.
Program changes
- A new form, the Project Planner and Tracker, (available mid-July) has been developed as an alternative to completing the Learning Planner and Tracker document. It is intended for those working in administrative, research or non-clinical roles.
- Enhanced messaging about the importance of complying with the program requirements, safekeeping/storage of documents in a retrievable electronic format and truthful declarations.
- An online form completion platform is planned for August 2016.
- Further exploration is needed on how best to anonymously share member insights and knowledge from Patient Care Reflections for educational purposes.
- Webinar on the program, audit requirements and process will be held in August.
- In fall 2016 there will be a strategic review and Imagineering of the entire Competence Program.
To share your thoughts with the Competence Committee about the Reflective Practice Review program or to discuss your audit results, contact the Continuing Competence Program competence@cpta.ab.ca 1-800 291-2782.
