Professional Experience Placement

In this editorial by Michael Ross, entrustable professional activities are discussed in the context of medicine. These activities are ‘units of professional practice, defined as tasks or responsibilities to be entrusted to the unsupervised execution by a trainee once he or she has attained sufficient specific competence’. Entrustability is a relatively new concept and Ross argues that activities are entrusted to learners. Entrustability is aligned with a constructivist approach to learning outcomes. Activities are delegated or ‘entrusted’ to learners via indirect or limited supervision. Developing entrustsbility is a form of learner progression. There are downsides. If a learner is entrusted with being deemed entrustable, there is the risk that students could perceive they no longer require supervision or it may be more difficult to seek assistance. Ross also indicates that there is an opportunity through using this model for inadequate supervision to occur. This may reduce patient safety.

This editorial provides plenty of ideas for consideration in other health disciplines. Nursing uses the concept of entrustability each time undergraduates undertake work integrated learning. Models of clinical supervision within nursing vary from state to state; between organisations and types of environments. Student nurses are constantly entrusted as they move through their program and develop competency as a beginning registered practitioners. Now that the competency or standards for practice are being reviewed, perhaps the concept of entrustability in nursing needs further discussion?

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