What is a profession

1
What is a profession?
2
Most important description and rationale

• Group 1. Anja, Ainars, Gill (For Louise)
• A profession possesses a discrete body of
  knowledge and skills over which its members have
  exclusive control.
• Rationale This knowledge only they have,
  defines that profession.
• Group 2. Carmel, Tina, Agnes
• A professional values performance above reward.
• Rationale Doing a good job is more important
  than money to a professional.

3

• Group 3. Tina, Dominique, and Rodnick
• Formed their own descriptor that a professional
  should use his competence / skills to produce a
  high quality service by following ethical / moral
  issues and keeping up to date with ongoing
  improvements and technologies.
• Rationale This covers the key areas that a
  professional should possess.
• Group 4. Eric, Gianni and Carsten
• A profession possesses a discrete body of
  knowledge and skills over which its members have
  exclusive control.
• Rationale It is the basis of the profession
  that there are knowledge and skills exclusive to
  that profession.

4

• Group 5. Anne, Jonathan and Gill
• A profession must take team responsibility for
  the body of knowledge and skills over which its
  members share control through continuous evidence
  based and reflective practice.
• Rationale Overarching for all other diamonds,
  required for profession to develop.
• Group 6. Sundaran, Kristjan, Bruno
• Professionals must adhere to a moral code of
  ethics controlled by a professional associations.
• Rationale Every profession must have a code of
  ethics which give guidelines for that profession

5

• Group 7. Bergliot, Mark (student), Vytenis
• Professionals remain autonomous in their
  workplaces within the limits of rules and
  standards laid down by their association.
• Rationale The scope of responsibilities and
  expectations of professionals are laid down by
  their association and within this they are
  accountable for their actions and responsible for
  the development of the profession.
• Group 8. Catrun (student), Piret, Julia
• Professionals are responsible for continual TQM
  of professional activities.
• Rationale If the professionals do not regulate
  and guarantee quality / standards who will?

6
Least Important and Rationale

• Group 1. Anja, Ainars, Gill (For Louise)
• Professionals value performance above reward.
• Rationale Whilst true not a key definition.
• Group 4. Eric, Gianni and Carsten
• Professionals value performance above reward.
• Rationale We work for the glory not the salary
  and for our interest in the profession.

7

• Group 5. Anne, Jonathan and Gill
• Professionals value performance above reward.
• Rationale The diamonds are about what drives
  our professional behaviour and our profession is
  a vocational one not based upon a high reward
  system.
• Group 6. Sundaran, Kristjan, Bruno (student)
• Professionals value performance above reward.
• Rationale Professionals perform their duties to
  the best if their abilities, regardless of the
  reward.

8

• Group 8. Catrun (student), Piret, Julia
• Professionals value performance above reward.
• Rationale Performance is a result of the above
  diamonds and gives high job satisfaction.
• Group 2. Carmel, Tina, Agnes
• A profession possesses a discrete body of
  knowledge and skills over which its members have
  exclusive control.
• Rationale None given

9

• Group 3. Tina, Dominique, and Rodnick
• Professionals are held to a higher standard of
  behaviour than are non professionals.
• Rationale It is expected that everyone has a
  high standard of behaviour not just
  professionals.
• Group 7. Bergliot, Mark (student), Vytenis
• Professionals are responsible for determining
  the qualifications and the number of those to be
  educated for practice, the substance of their
  training and the requirements of completion.
• Rationale Too narrow a view of the profession
  self isolating.

10
Professional Descriptors in addition to those
given in the Diamond 9 exercise

• Group 1. Anja, Ainars, Gill (For Louise)
• A profession must advance its own evidence base
  within the multi-professional team in which that
  profession operates.
• Group 2. Carmel, Tina, Agnes
• A professional has enough self confidence to
  move in a multi professional team.

11

• Group 3. Tina, Dominique, and Rodnick
• A professional should use his competence /
  skills to produce a high quality service by
  following ethical / moral issues and keeping up
  to date with ongoing improvements and
  technologies.
• Group 4. Eric, Gianni and Carsten
• A profession has to develop and extend its own
  evidence base practice by academic study.

12

• Group 5. Anne, Jonathan and Gill
• A profession must take team responsibility for
  the body of knowledge and skills over which its
  members share control through continuous evidence
  based and reflective practice.
• Group 6. Sundaran, Kristjan, Bruno (student)
• A professional must have a minimum of 3 years
  study period.
• Rationale We feel that this definition is
  missing and we feel the duration of study defines
  the profession.

13

• Group 7. Bergliot, Mark (student), Vytenis
• Professionals are responsible and open for
  communication (both inter-disciplinary and with
  the society)
• Rationale To allow communication between
  profession and an openness of mind to new ideas.
• Group 8. Catrun (student), Piret, Julia
• Professionals are responsible for continual TQM
  of professional activities.