Professional Identity In Australia

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As we experience life through our perspective, we naturally develop our beliefs, attitudes values, skills and knowledge that all manifest into our identity. However, in a professional environment our ability to recognize our identity in respect to our professional groups allows the development of our professional identity (Adams, Hean, Sturgis, & Clark, 2006, p.56). In occupations in the health sector the professional identity of an individual will constantly be challenged and ongoing alterations will occur. In order to keep the community safe, government bodies set standards and regulations that specific industries must abide to. For occupational therapist, the Australian health practitioner regulation agency (AHPRA) work closely with the occupational therapy board of Australia (OTBA) in order to ensure quality service is provided from the …show more content…

Professional identity can be described as moderately stable yet dynamic in nature in the context of an individual’s attitude on themselves, their clients and the role they play in their occupation. The several influences that contribute to professional identity can be categorized into three sections; personal identity, role identity and social identity (White, Borges, & Geiger, 2011). Personal identity comprises of an individual’s history, morals and values and also their past experiences. For a health practitioner, this can include their motivation, their upbringing and also their education and qualifications. Role identity involves one’s understanding of their responsibility with their respected professional and social functions. This is demonstrated in the practitioner’s ability to practice their required task and to follow proper