Table 5 Facilitators and barriers to the use of the vCoP

Facilitators

 The use of information and knowledge technologies allows the development of vCoP with flexible accessibility for the training of health professionals.

 The inclusion of evidence-based and updated materials is a necessary and useful tool for healthcare activity.

 Maintaining and providing useful and updated information motivates the use and functioning of the vCoP.

 The vCoP is a medium that allows interaction between professionals from different locations and enables sharing approaches, opinions, experiences and ways of performing.

 The presence of easy-to-understand tutorials, with the necessary information for the use of vCoP, would improve access to the included resources and participation.

Barriers

 The use of out-of-date or inappropriate hardware and software limits and hinders access to and participation in a vCoP.

 The inclusion of documents and resources in non-native language causes difficulties in understanding information.

 The time restrictions in work environments can limit access to a vCoP.