Learning in action: creating a community of inquiry in a healthcare organisation

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to discuss an insider action research project concerned with establishing an audit team, with responsibility for addressing a clinical and social services ‘assurance gap’ at corporate level in a healthcare organisation. The focus of the research account is on the knowledge that was generated internally by establishing the aforementioned team underpinned by an action learning ethos, and through the observed evolution of this team into a community of inquiry. Using the stages within the experiential learning cycle to guide team interventions and our own critical reflection, the authors have different research roles in this study; one has responsibility for the design, recruitment, establishment and management of this audit team, while the other acts as academic advocate in context. The knowledge that emerged from this study and the learning therein has the capacity to be actionable, that is, at the service of both academic and practitioner communities.

Keywords:

• action learning
• community of inquiry
• healthcare

Notes

QPSA title is based on the ‘Quality Patient Safety Directorate’ in which the team reports to the National Director and also describes the function within the remit of patient safety and quality. This is a new service, similar to Internal Audit, to provide assurance in clinical and social services.

Charles Sanders Peirce (1839–1914), credited founder of American pragmatism who ‘urges us to follow the successful sciences in trusting to the critical conversation of a community of inquirers’ (http://www.academicroom.com/topics/charles-sanders-peirce-1839%E2%80%931914).

The National Health Service is the UK equivalent of the Health Service Executive (HSE) in the Republic of Ireland.