Mobilizing professional identity in multidisciplinary teams: An appreciative inquiry

ABSTRACT

Professional identity is how professionals identify themselves in their work role. Practicing clinicians working in multidisciplinary teams soon discover their professional identities must broaden and mobilize so that they can work seamlessly alongside others to maximize health and social care outcomes. Methods to mobilize professional identity are not well understood: our study aimed to identify opportunities for facilitating flexibility of professional identity within the context of multidisciplinary teams. We undertook an appreciative inquiry, with eight health and social care professions, to (i) assess how the mobilization of professional identity can be translated into the workplace, (ii) outline a mechanism that will support the mobilization of professional identity for health and social care practitioners working within a multidisciplinary team, and (iii) identify the implications of this research for managers of multidisciplinary teams. We found that developing role models and shared workplace learning environments were important approaches to facilitate understanding of other professions. Participants suggested developing a work-based intervention to mobilize professional identity. This study offers a unique insight into the mobilization of professional identity within multidisciplinary teams; development of a programme for a work-based education resource, centering on the ‘role of others’, power and trust; and identification of the implications for managers of multidisciplinary teams.

KEYWORDS:

• multidisciplinary care
• professional identity
• health and social care
• appreciative inquiry
• professional bodies
• work-based education

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Geolocation information

This study was undertaken in Wales, UK

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded through a Research Impact Fund – EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council) programme/Swansea University Surge funding.

Notes on contributors

Stephanie Best

Dr Stephanie Best is a senior research fellow researching leadership, improvement, and implementation in health services in Australia and the UK.

Iain Robbé

Dr Iain Robbé is an independent medical education expert. He researches and teaches medical education dividing his time between Canada and the UK.

Sharon Williams

Prof. Sharon Williams is a professor in health systems and her research focuses on service operations management and quality improvement in health and social care.