An ecological, information-based approach to the study of expertise: illustrative findings from a study of UK health-visiting practice

This paper is based on a simulation‐based but naturalistic study of domiciliary health‐visiting expertise undertaken in a large conurbation in central Scotland between 2000 and 2002. The research approach enabled direct comparison and systematic examination of multiple data sets about two simulated clients, which identified differences between issues covered and differences between practitioners’ approaches and levels of expertise demonstrated during visits. The paper first presents the professional and theoretical background of the study and outlines the study methods before focusing on its main aim. This aim is to provide a detailed account of the informational input used for one of the simulated cases and to present illustrative findings that show the different approaches taken, and levels of expertise demonstrated, by two health visitor participants who visited this particular simulated case. The paper concludes by considering the special relevance and utility of this research approach for professional education and practice development.