Portfolios with Evidence of Reflective Practice Required by Regulatory Bodies: An Integrative Review

Abstract

Purpose: Regulatory bodies impose continuing professional development (CPD) requirements on health care professionals (HCPs) as a condition for license revalidation. Many regulatory bodies require annual evidence of CPD activities that are informed by reflective practices, guided by learning plans, and compiled into a portfolio. The purpose of this integrative review is to summarize the literature discussing how regulatory bodies use portfolios with evidence of reflection for licensure renewal. Method: We reviewed English-language articles published until May 2020 discussing evidence of CPD and reflective practice in portfolios in the context of licensure renewal. Results: We located 17 articles for the review. None reported or measured outcomes beyond submission of reflective evidence. Sixteen articles (93%) included information about passive learning resources that regulatory bodies provided to help guide HCPs’ reflective learning activities. HCPs’ feedback about using reflective learning activities indicated mixed opinions about their utility. Conclusions: Few publications reported how jurisdictions expected HCPs to provide evidence of reflective practices for licensure renewal. None of the regulatory bodies required evidence regarding the impact of reflective practice on patient or organizational outcomes. HCPs reported both benefits and challenges of a mandated reflective process.