The Lived Experience of Professional Identity

430 Pages·2017·2.52 MB·English

The Lived Experience of Professional Identity: A
Year-Long Study with Newly Qualified Social
Workers

Bernadette Josephine Moorhead
Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) (Charles Sturt University)

A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy

Faculty of Arts and Education
School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Charles Sturt University

Wagga Wagga, Australia

July 2017
Table of Contents
Table of Contents ................................................................................................... iii
List of Figures…. ................................................................................................. viii
List of Tables……………..………………………..……………………..……..viii
Certificate of Authorship ........................................................................................ xi
Acknowledgements ............................................................................................... xii
Professional Editorial Assistance ......................................................................... xiii
Ethics Approval .................................................................................................... xiv
Publications….. ..................................................................................................... xv
Abstract……………………………….……...….………………………………xvi
Terminology and Abbreviations ....................................................................... xviii
Chapter 1 Introduction ............................................................................................ .1
Background to the Study ....................................................................................... 1
What Is Professional Identity? .............................................................................. 9
Identity. .......................................................................................................... 9
Professional identity. ..................................................................................... 11
Impetus for the Study: Researcher Foregrounding .............................................. 13
Thesis Structure .................................................................................................. 19
Chapter 2 Experiences of Newly Qualified Social Worker .s................................ 21
The Literature Review Process ........................................................................... 21
Transition and Development ............................................................................... 22
Transition. ....................................................................................................... 23
Learning and development. ............................................................................. 25
Challenges ................................................................................................. 26
Supervision experiences and needs. .......................................................... 28
Preparedness for Practice ...................................................................................... 30
Sense of preparation. ....................................................................................... 30
Gaps in preparation. ........................................................................................ 31
Tensions about preparation. ............................................................................ 32
Perspectives of line managers and employers. ................................................ 33
Induction and Graduate Programs ......................................................................... 33
Initial induction. .............................................................................................. 34
Longer programs. ............................................................................................ 34
Job Satisfaction and Retention .............................................................................. 35
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Themes and Gaps in the Literature ....................................................................... 38
Chapter Summary ................................................................................................. 41
Chapter 3 Professional Identity of Students and Newly Qualified Social
Workers ................................ ................................ .............................. 43
Development of Social Work Identity in Students ................................ ............... 43
Professional Identity of Newly Qualified Social Workers ................................ .... 48
Themes and Gaps in the Literature ................................ ................................ ....... 52
Chapter Summary ................................ ................................ ................................ . 54
Chapter 4 Theoretical Framework: Ontology and Epistemology ........................ 55
History and Development of Phenomenology ................................ ...................... 55
Hermeneutic phenomenology. ................................ ................................ ........ 56
Critical Social Work Theory ................................................................................. 58
Theoretical Framework for My Study .................................................................. 61
Chapter Summary ................................................................................................. 63
Chapter 5 Methodology and Research Process ...................................................... 65
Research Aims and Questions............................................................................... 65
Participant Selection and Recruitment .................................................................. 66
Ethical Considerations .......................................................................................... 68
Methodology……………………………………………………………………..69
Method: Collecting rich descriptions of lived experience. ............................. 70
Context of the first interview. ................................................................... 71
Context of the second interview. ............................................................... 72
Context of the final interview. .................................................................. 72
Method: Analysis of participants’ lived experience. ...................................... 73
Initial note-taking. ..................................................................................... 73
Topic coding. ............................................................................................. 75
Analytic coding. ................................ ................................ ........................ 78
Thematic coding. ................................ ................................ ....................... 78
Foregrounding through Field Notes ................................ ................................ ...... 80
Chapter Summary ................................ ................................ ................................ . 81
Chapter 6 Overview of Participants ................................ ................................ ........ 82
Vignettes………………………………………………………………………… 82
Participant Demographics and Backgrounds ................................ ...................... 103
Employment details. ................................ ................................ ...................... 105
Job satisfaction and employment goals. ................................ ........................ 108
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Discussion……………. ...................................................................................... 109
Chapter Summary ................................................................................................ 110
Chapter 7 Lived Experience of Transition and Adjustment ............................... 111
Transition and Adjustment from University ....................................................... 111
Transition and Adjustment to Practice ................................................................ 114
Orientation/induction. ................................................................................... 114
Reality, expectations and culture shock. ....................................................... 116
Preparedness for practice. ............................................................................. 117
Transition and Adjustment to Professional Identity ............................................ 118
Consolidating a social work identity. ............................................................ 119
Clarifying a distinct social work identity. ..................................................... 121
Settling into a social work identity. ............................................................... 122
Discussion………………………………………………………………………124
Chapter Summary ................................................................................................ 127
Chapter 8 Lived Experience of Social Work Identity .......................................... 129
Being a Social Worker ........................................................................................ 129
The social work mindset. .............................................................................. 129
Personal and professional fit. ........................................................................ 132
Perceptions of professionalism. ..................................................................... 134
Social work qualification as part of professionalism. ............................. 135
Critical reflection as part of professionalism. ......................................... 137
Knowing/Thinking as a Social Worker ............................................................... 138
Doing as a Social Worker .................................................................................... 140
Discussion…………………. .............................................................................. 142
Chapter Summary ................................................................................................ 145
Chapter 9 Lived Experience that Fosters and Erodes Professional Identity at
the Individual (Micro) Level ........................................................... 147
Impacts of Education ........................................................................................... 148
Lived Time and Experience (Temporality) ......................................................... 151
Confidence in Social Work Identity .................................................................... 155
Learning as part of building confidence. ....................................................... 157
Personal growth and development as part of building confidence. ............... 162
Expressing professional identity as part of building confidence. .................. 165
Affirmations. ........................................................................................... 165
Role identity versus social work identity. ............................................... 166
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Discussion………………………………………………………………………169
Chapter Summary ............................................................................................... 171
Chapter 10 Lived Experience That Fosters and Erodes Professional Identity at
the Relational and Organisational (Meso) Level .......................... 173
Collective Identity ............................................................................................... 174
Meaningful Relationships ................................................................................... 178
Managers. ...................................................................................................... 178
Supervision.................................................................................................... 181
Personal relationships. .................................................................................. 185
Networks. ...................................................................................................... 185
Role models................................................................................................... 187
Mentors. ........................................................................................................ 188
Lecturers........................................................................................................ 189
Team and Organisational Culture ....................................................................... 189
Organisational culture. .................................................................................. 192
Discussion…………… ....................................................................................... 196
Chapter Summary ............................................................................................... 200
Chapter 11 Lived Experience That Fosters and Erodes Professional Identity at
the Environmental (Macro) Level .................................................. 201
Physical Environment ......................................................................................... 202
Socio-Cultural Environment ............................................................................... 205
Neo-conservative and managerial discourses. .............................................. 205
Positivist science discourse. .......................................................................... 207
Gender discourse. .......................................................................................... 211
Support and Development Needs ........................................................................ 214
Nurturing environments. ............................................................................... 214
Being valued. ........................................................................................... 216
Autonomy. ............................................................................................... 217
Professional development. ...................................................................... 218
Professional self-care. ............................................................................. 220
Discussion………….. ......................................................................................... 224
Chapter Summary ............................................................................................... 226
Chapter 12 Consolidating the First Year Post-Qualification.............................. 229
Motivations to Participate in the Study ............................................................... 229
Identity development as motivation to participate. ....................................... 229
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Helping others. .............................................................................................. 231
Mutual help between participant and researcher. .......................................... 233
Other reasons for participation. ..................................................................... 234
Impacts of Participation in the Study .................................................................. 235
Opportunities for reflection as a benefit of study participation..................... 235
Clarification about identity. ........................................................................... 237
Therapeutic and emotional impacts. .............................................................. 240
Advice from Participants ..................................................................................... 242
Advice for emerging newly qualified social workers and students............... 242
Advice to self. ............................................................................................... 243
Advice for educators. .................................................................................... 245
Advice for employers. ................................................................................... 247
Advice for wider society and the profession. ................................................ 250
Discussion…………… ....................................................................................... 251
Chapter Summary ................................................................................................ 253
Chapter 13 Conclusion ............................................................................................ 255
Summary of Main Findings................................................................................. 255
Main findings in the first interview phase. .................................................... 257
Main findings in the second interview phase. ............................................... 259
Main findings in the final interview phase. ................................................... 261
Discussion………….. ......................................................................................... 263
Study Credibility and Limitations ....................................................................... 270
Pathways for Further Research and Dialogue ..................................................... 275
Pathways for further research and dialogue with the field. ........................... 276
Pathways for further research and dialogue with social work educators. ..... 276
Conclusion……… ............................................................................................... 277
References…….. ...................................................................................................... 279
Appendices……… ................................................................................................... 305
Appendix A – Advertisement, Information Sheet, Consent Form and Draft
Interview Schedule ..................................................................... 305
Appendix B – Interview Schedules, Context Setting Form and Focus Group
Schedule...................................................................................... 313
Appendix C – Topic Codes ................................................................................. 329
Appendix D – Field Note Template .................................................................... 336
Appendix E – Participant Journeys ..................................................................... 337
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List of Figures
Figure 1 Phases of role transition ........................................................................... 24
Figure 2 Coding process. ........................................................................................ 75
Figure 3 Isabella’s artefacts (several personal artefacts). ....................................... 84
Figure 4 Geraldine’s artefact (self-care package). .................................................. 86
Figure 5 Claire’s artefact (dolphin figurine). .......................................................... 92
Figure 6 Rueben’s artefact (picture of people walking together). .......................... 95
Figure 7 Maggie’s artefact (rock with indentations). ............................................. 99
Figure 8 Belinda’s artefact (wilted flower with new leaf). ................................... 102
Figure 9 Employment arrangements at first interview. ........................................ 106
Figure 10 Dimensions of transition and adjustment from university. .................... 111
Figure 11 Dimensions of transition and adjustment to practice. ............................ 114
Figure 12 Dimensions of transition and adjustment to professional identity. ........ 119
Figure 13 Being a social worker. ............................................................................ 129
Figure 14 Micro dimensions which foster and/or erode professional identity. ...... 147
Figure 15 Dimensions of building confidence. ...................................................... 157
Figure 16 Meso dimensions which foster and/or erode professional identity. ....... 173
Figure 17 Macro dimensions which foster and/or erode professional identity. ..... 201
Figure 18 Features of a nurturing environment. ..................................................... 214

List of Tables
Table 1 Australian social work education and accreditation standards, first
graduate attribute ...................................................................................... 48
Table 2 Theoretical framework for my study ........................................................ 62
Table 3 Location of interviews .............................................................................. 71
Table 4 Template for initial note-taking ............................................................... 74
Table 5 Approach to topic coding ......................................................................... 76
Table 6 Isabella ..................................................................................................... 83
Table 7 Geraldine .................................................................................................. 85
Table 8 Michael ..................................................................................................... 87
Table 9 Gary .......................................................................................................... 88
Table 10 Vivienne ................................................................................................... 89
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Table 11 Cass .......................................................................................................... 90
Table 12 Claire ........................................................................................................ 91
Table 13 James ................................ ................................ ................................ ........ 92
Table 14 Damon ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 93
Table 15 Rueben ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 94
Table 16 Julia ................................ ................................ ................................ .......... 96
Table 17 Nina ................................ ................................ ................................ .......... 97
Table 18 Chelsea ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 98
Table 19 Maggie ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 98
Table 20 Jessica ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 100
Table 21 Belinda ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 101
Table 22 Catherine ................................ ................................ ................................ 102
Table 23 Participant demographic and background details ................................ ... 103
Table 24 Employment type and field over the first year post -qualification .......... 105
Table 25 Timeframes for transition and adjustment ................................ .............. 124
Table 26 Frequency of formal supervision sessions ................................ .............. 181
Table 27 Examples of “good” and “bad” manager behaviours that impact on
professional identity ................................ ................................ ............... 198
Table 28 Most prevalent thematic codes ................................ ............................... 256
Table B1 Development of the interview schedules ................................ ................ 313
Table C1 Thematic codes with analytic codes ................................ ....................... 332
Table E1 Isabella ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 337
Table E2 Geraldine ................................ ................................ ................................ 342
Table E3 Michael ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 346
Table E4 Gary ................................ ................................ ................................ ........ 350
Table E5 Vivienne ................................ ................................ ................................ . 354
Table E6 Cass ................................ ................................ ................................ ........ 359
Table E7 Claire ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 364
Table E8 James ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 368
Table E9 Damon ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 372
Table E10 Rueben ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 376
Table E11 Julia ................................ ................................ ................................ ........ 380
Table E12 Nina ................................ ................................ ................................ ........ 385
Table E13 Chelsea ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 389
Table E14 Maggie ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 393
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Table E15 Jessica ..................................................................................................... 398
Table E16 Belinda ................................................................................................... 402
Table E17 Catherine ................................................................................................ 406

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