The relevance of tacit knowledge to healthcare assistant practice

Person-centred care and the diverse array of contexts within which healthcare assistants work necessitate a commitment to being conscientious, self-aware and willing to raise issues of concern about vulnerable and sick patients and their families and carers. For the purposes of the article, tacit knowledge is defined as the intuitive knowledge that is not easy to articulate through dialogue or rational justification in the context of healthcare provision. It depends on a level of sensory awareness or feeling that transcends the need for formalised knowledge in terms of its potential impact on practice. Person-centred care and the diverse array of care contexts within which HCAs work necessitate a commitment to being conscientious, self-aware and willing to raise issues of concern about vulnerable and sick patients and their families and carers. The transferable skillset needed to undertake this role extends beyond the functional training that HCAs receive. Tacit knowledge cannot be readily articulated, but its implementation in practice lies at the heart of every human interaction. The article raises awareness of tacit knowledge and its implications for the context of healthcare provision.