The Implementation of a Model of Person-Centred Practice In Older ...

The implementation of a model of person-centred practice in older person settings
development program in New South Wales (Aspire to Inspire; Uniting Aged Care
South Eastern region and the University of Wollongong).
5. Collaborative relationships with Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) can
provide an important means of reducing isolation for practice developers,
but also a way of extending the potential for systematic and rigorous
processes to be adopted.
There continues to be debate in the academic nursing press (for example Walker
2009; Watson et al 2008; Dewing et al 2009) about the relevance of practice
development to academic communities and HEIs in particular. Academics engaging
in practice development have been accused of ‘endangering’ professional academic
inquiry - “[PD] …endangers the professoriate and academic enquiry into nursing by
pandering to the insatiable appetite of the National Health Service (NHS) for ‘pairs of
hands’; and second, that PD is a diversion from, and an alternative to, academic
activity” (Thompson et al 2008) and further that “… we have serious concerns that it
is being seen as an easy substitute for scholarship and academic enquiry. It certainly
has appeal to practitioners, but is PD any business of universities?” (Thompson et al
2008).
Whilst clearly, HEIs have to ensure that they are clear about the role of academics in
facilitating learning, research and scholarship, supporting the facilitation and
researching of practice development has a legitimate place in these endeavours and
indeed can help HEIs achieve many of the education and research targets that
currently dominate HEI performance measurement. Systematic engagement in
practice development demonstrates how meaningful connections between practice,
learning, evidence use and development and knowledge transfer can be achieved
and further how research processes can be ‘demystified’ for clinicians.
The relationship between the HE in this programme and the participating sites was
highly valued by participants and facilitators alike. Being part of a programme that
was endorsed by a university was seen as important by participants, whilst facilitators
valued the systematic approach and ongoing support that HE facilitators brought to
the programme. What has been disappointing has been the low level of active
interest and involvement from local HEIs in Ireland.
However, critical to the success of this relationship has been the methodology
adopted and that needs to be considered carefully.
The methodology was
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