The Competence Committee has completed the 2017 audit of General Register member’s Reflective Practice Review records. Records used for the 2016 renewal were reviewed, including the 2016 Patient Care Reflection, the 2015/2016 Learning Planner and Tracker/2016 Implementation Record. All members selected for audit were required to enter their information into the online platform. The auditors completed the audit process online.
Audit results
The Competence Committee audited 147 submissions.
Breakdown of the audit pool
- 150 member were provided notice of audit
- 120 members randomly selected
- 30 members directed by Competence Committee or Registrar
- 147 members participated in audit 2017
- 2 members granted a deferral until 2018
- 1 member exempted due to retirement
Results for audit
- 147 Learning Planner and Trackers and 133 Patient Care Reflections were reviewed.
- Upon initial review, 89% of physiotherapists received a satisfactory rating on their Learning Planner and Tracker (34% Comprehensive, 55% Adequate).
- Upon initial review, 97% of physiotherapists received a satisfactory rating on their Patient Care Reflection Tool (44% Comprehensive, 53% Adequate).
- 13% (20) member submissions were deemed unsatisfactory.
- 19 were directed to revise their records and resubmit for re-audit (4 Patient Reflections, 14 Learning Planner and Tracker/Implementation Record, 1 both documents).
- 1 member whose Learning Plan/Implementation record was deemed unsatisfactory, due to extenuating circumstances, was exempt from revising and resubmitting their documents for re-audit this year. Instead, they were directed to participate in next year’s audit and only their Learning Plan/implementation record will be reviewed.
- Upon re-audit, all records satisfactorily met the criteria.
Impressions from the Competence Committee
An overwhelming majority of members successfully meet the Reflective Practice Review audit criteria. The Competence Committee found the reflective notes required in the member’s submissions helpful as they completed the audit. The Patient Care Reflections are particularly well completed and they provide a snapshot into physiotherapists adaptive expertise (how they apply their knowledge, taking into consideration patients needs and job constraints to successfully care for patients).
Moreover, for the members that were required to revise and resubmit their records, the resubmissions provided much richer details and demonstrated the member’s critical thinking and awareness of resources to support practice decisions.
In terms of members improving their completion of Reflective Practice Review records, the Committee has the following to offer:
- Provide 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.
- Choose learning goals that are meaningful and relevant to advancing one’s physiotherapy practice (not business practices).
- Writing specific and achievable learning goals.
- Ensure three different learning activities that show not only the gathering of information from a variety of sources but also processing and application to practice.
- Provide in narratives, sufficient information to demonstrate higher order thinking skills (evaluation, synthesis and creation of ideas, articulation of new insights, challenging assumptions).
Questions? Contact Continuing Competence Program at competence@cpta.ab.ca, 1-800-291-2782, 780-702-3549.
