ABSTRACT
Normalization Process Theory (NPT) is an implementation theory that focuses on the work that individuals and groups do to enable a new practice to become normalized, that is, embedded as a routine and taken-for-granted element of clinical practice. NPT began as a model constructed on the basis of empirical studies of the implementation of new technologies, but it was subsequently expanded and developed into a theory as change mechanisms and inter-relations between various constructs were delineated. This chapter looks at how NPT can be used, with descriptions of three case studies applying the theory. NPT identifies four social mechanisms of normalizing complex practices and the relationships between these: Coherence; Cognitive participation; Collective action; and Reflexive monitoring.
