Respect and Professionalism
– Treat all members with courtesy and respect, regardless of experience level or role.
– Avoid personal attacks, dismissive language, or condescending tone.
– Assume good intent in others’ posts.
Confidentiality and Privacy
– Use fictitious examples when discussing cases and do not share any protected health information (PHI).
– Do not share your personal information within the forum. Exchange of your personal information with selected others is your choice outside of this forum.
Evidence-Based Contributions
– Cite sources or clarify when sharing opinion versus evidence-based information.
– Welcome respectful disagreement grounded in evidence.
Active and Constructive Participation
– Contribute regularly, not just consume content.
– Value questions as much as answers as asking good questions drives learning.
– Avoid dominating discussions; create space for quieter members.
Stay On Topic
– Keep discussions relevant to the community’s shared domain of practice.
No Self-Promotion or Conflicts of Interest
– Disclose any relevant conflicts of interest.
– Avoid using the community primarily for marketing or self-promotion.
Constructive Feedback
– Offer feedback that is specific, actionable, and kind.
– Frame critiques around ideas, not individuals.
Inclusivity and Psychological Safety
– Foster an environment where members feel safe to share mistakes, uncertainties, and lessons learned.
– Actively welcome diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and levels of expertise.
Intellectual Property and Attribution
– Give credit when sharing others’ work or ideas.
– Clarify ownership of content created within the community.
These principles align with the foundational work of Etienne Wenger on communities of practice, emphasizing mutual engagement, shared repertoire, and joint enterprise as the pillars of effective CoPs. In healthcare settings specifically, psychological safety and confidentiality tend to be especially critical for meaningful knowledge exchange.
Reference: Wenger-Trayner, E. and Wenger-Trayner, B. (2015) An introduction to communities of practice: a brief overview of the concept and its uses. Available from authors at https://www.wenger-trayner.com/introduction-to-communities-of-practice.