Training activity information
Details
Perform daily calibration checks on equipment and rooms used for testing and fitting, and troubleshoot as necessary
Type
Entrustable training activity (ETA)
Evidence requirements
Evidence the activity has been undertaken by the trainee repeatedly, consistently, and effectively over time, in a range of situations. This may include occasions where the trainee has not successfully achieved the outcome of the activity themselves. For example, because it was not appropriate to undertake the task in the circumstances or the trainees recognised their own limitations and sought help or advice to ensure the activity reached an appropriate conclusion.
Reflection at multiple timepoints on the trainee learning journey for this activity.
Considerations
- Room acoustic effects, including: background noise, reverberation and room resonances
- Infection control
- Tolerances
- Local, national and international guidelines and standards
Reflective practice guidance
The guidance below is provided to support reflection at different time points, providing you with questions to aid you to reflect for this training activity. They are provided for guidance and should not be considered as a mandatory checklist. Trainees should not be expected to provide answers to each of the guidance questions listed.
Before action
- What does success look like when performing daily calibration checks and troubleshooting? e.g., What are the specific calibration standards and protocols you need to follow for the relevant equipment and rooms? What constitutes successful troubleshooting within your scope?
- What is your prior experience with calibration checks and troubleshooting audiology equipment? e.g., What equipment are you familiar with checking? What common issues have you encountered before, and how did you handle them? What are the limits of your troubleshooting ability, and who would you seek advice from? How do you feel about being responsible for these checks?
- What do you anticipate you will learn from this experience? e.g., What skills related to specific calibration procedures or identifying potential equipment issues do you want to develop? What insights do you hope to gain about the importance of accurate calibration and basic troubleshooting?
- What additional considerations do you need to make? e.g., Are there any specific checks required for the equipment being used today? Have you consulted previous records of calibration issues or troubleshooting steps?
In action
- Are you noticing anything surprising or different from what you anticipate during the process of performing daily calibration checks and troubleshooting? Are you encountering situations such as:
-
- A piece of equipment failing a calibration check unexpectedly?
- An unusual or inconsistent reading during room calibration that defies initial expectations?
- A troubleshooting step not yielding the anticipated result, or leading to a new, unforeseen issue?
- An anticipated cause for a calibration failure turning out to be incorrect during your investigation?
- How does this experience compare with previous experiences of similar activities?
- How is this impacting your actions? For example, are you responding to the situation appropriately? Are you adapting or changing your approach to the procedure? Is it affecting your ability to undertake the activity independently? Consider the steps you are taking in the moment, such as:
- Are you re-checking calibration records consulting equipment manuals immediately or reviewing previous calibration logs?
- Are you consulting relevant Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for daily checks or troubleshooting more thoroughly than planned for calibration deviations?
- Are you seeking advice from a more experienced colleague or your training officer to understand the calibration anomaly or to confirm next steps?
- Are you changing your initial approach to troubleshooting based on new insights from previous steps (e.g., a specific error code appearing or a pattern of failure)?
- How is any unexpected development being resolved as you progress during the activity?
- How are you working within your scope of practice? Are you successfully managing the situation yourself, or do you need support because it is beyond your current scope (for example, if a persistent calibration error requires manufacturer intervention or senior technician review)?
- What are you learning in this moment as a result of any unexpected development? For example, are you learning a new diagnostic approach to identifying the root cause of calibration issues, or a more robust method for performing a specific check?
On action
- Begin by summarising the key points of performing daily calibration checks on equipment and rooms, and any troubleshooting that was necessary.
- Consider specific events, actions, or interactions that felt important, such as encountering a calibration issue, successfully troubleshooting a problem, or noting any unexpected readings. How did you feel during this experience?
- Include any ‘reflect-in-action’ moments, where you adapted your approach or made immediate decisions during the calibration or troubleshooting process.
- Identify what learning you can take from this experience regarding calibration and troubleshooting. What strengths did you demonstrate (e.g., methodical approach, attention to detail, problem-solving)? What skills and/or knowledge gaps were evident (e.g., deeper understanding of calibration parameters, efficient troubleshooting steps for specific equipment)?
- Compare this experience against previous engagements with similar activities. Were any previously identified actions for development achieved? Has your practice in performing calibration checks and troubleshooting improved?
- Identify any challenges you experienced (e.g., persistent equipment errors, difficulty identifying the root cause of an issue) and how you reacted to these. Did this affect your ability to deal with the situation? Were you able to overcome the challenges?
- Identify anything significant about this activity, such as needing to seek advice or clarification on a specific calibration procedure or escalating an issue that was beyond your scope of practice
- Identify the actions or ‘next steps’ you will now take to support the assimilation of what you have learned, including from any feedback you received.
- What will you do differently next time you perform daily calibration checks or encounter an equipment issue?
- Has anything changed in terms of what you would do if you were faced with a similar situation again?
- Do you need to practise any aspect of calibration or troubleshooting further?
Beyond action
- Have you revisited your previous reflections (reflect-before-action, reflect-in-action, and reflect-on-action) for this specific activity (performing daily calibration checks and troubleshooting)?
- When reviewing these past reflections, what actions for improvement did you previously identify you would need to take to improve your practice related to accuracy of calibration, efficient troubleshooting, understanding calibration standards, or documenting checks effectively?
- Have you completed these previously identified actions? If not, what are the barriers? If so, how did completing them impact your subsequent performance of this activity? Are you ready to demonstrate this new learning confidently and consistently when performing this task?
- Have you engaged in professional storytelling or discussed your experiences of daily calibration and troubleshooting with peers, near peers, or colleagues? Has discussing these experiences with others changed your view or understanding of common equipment faults, the impact of calibration errors, or effective troubleshooting strategies
- Considering your cumulative experiences and reflections on this activity, how will the learning you have gained support you in preparing for relevant observed ‘in-person’ assessments for the module?
- How has your practice related to performing daily calibration checks and troubleshooting developed and evolved over time across multiple instances of undertaking this training activity?
- Can you identify specific examples of improvement or increased confidence in identifying subtle calibration drifts, quickly resolving equipment issues, or ensuring the reliability of test results?
- Based on your experiences, how has your ability to recognise when something related to calibration or troubleshooting is beyond your scope of practice improved?
- Do you have a clearer understanding of when and from whom (e.g., supervisor, biomedical engineering, equipment manufacturer support) you need to seek advice or clarification regarding persistent equipment malfunctions, complex calibration issues, or the need for professional servicing?
Relevant learning outcomes
| # | Outcome |
|---|---|
| # 2 |
Outcome
Apply the principles of calibration for all types of equipment and rooms used in audiology. |
| # 3 |
Outcome
Apply the principles of infection control within audiology services. |