Incorporating professionalism matters

– a cultural-theoretical exploration of interdisciplinary teams within home care

Abstract

Denmark and other European welfare states are currently experimenting with different versions of interdisciplinary teams in home care. This shift from a multidisciplinary towards an inter- or transdisciplinary organization can be seen as a political and administrative response to the challenges posed by a growing elderly population and a shortage of professionals in home care.

Based on a cultural-theoretical approach and fieldwork in three Danish municipalities, this article explores the research question: How is collaboration practiced in interdisciplinary teams in home care in the shift from a multidisciplinary towards an inter- or transdisciplinary organization and how is the professionals’ professionalism developed and used within the interdisciplinary team structure? The professional groups involved in the interdisciplinary teams include social- and healthcare helpers and assistants, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, as well as leaders and planners.

The aim of the article is to address the knowledge gap identified in a previously published article, xxx (blinded for reviewers) by exploring the organization, forms of collaboration, and interactions among professional groups, as well as their perspectives on professionalism and professional identity.

The cultural-theoretical exploration uncovers three municipalities’ conditions and frameworks for solving this task and, through fieldwork, closely explores the different ways they organize home care and interdisciplinary teams. “The Eight-Theme-Interdisciplinary-Model” is thereby presented with themes that call for attention within interdisciplinary team collaboration. The themes are Wholeness & Continuity, Legislation, Interdisciplinarity, Professionalism, Leadership, Technologies, Planners, Time & Space.

The article concludes with cultural-theoretical perspectives on the exploration’s findings, highlighting their relevance in Denmark and internationally in the future development of organization and collaboration in home care for municipalities and the professional groups.