Training activity information
Details
Modify diagnostic test paradigms for equipment issues during testing
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.
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?
- Identify what is expected of you in relation to this specific activity. This involves successfully identifying an equipment issue during testing and adapting the protocol or setup to mitigate its impact or complete the test appropriately.
- What constitutes a successful modification when equipment issues arise? How can you ensure data quality or make appropriate notes about the limitation caused by the issue?
- Discuss with your training officer to gain clarity of what is expected of you in modifying paradigms due to equipment issues.
- What is your prior experience of this activity?
- Think about what you already know about troubleshooting equipment in a clinical or lab setting, or dealing with unexpected technical problems during procedures.
- Consider possible challenges you might face, such as quickly identifying the source of an equipment issue, knowing which parameters can be adjusted, or deciding when an issue makes the test impossible to complete meaningfully. Think about how you might handle these challenges.
- Recognise the scope of your own practice for this activity. i.e., know when you will need to seek advice or help and from whom, regarding complex equipment faults or significant protocol changes.
- Acknowledge how you feel about modifying the diagnostic test paradigms when there are equipment issues during testing.
- What do you anticipate you will learn from the experience?
- Consider the specific skills you want to develop in rapidly assessing equipment functionality, implementing alternative strategies, and documenting equipment issues and modifications accurately, drawing upon previous experiences.
- Identify specific insights you hope to gain, perhaps regarding the typical failure modes of electrophysiology equipment, the hierarchy of troubleshooting steps, or how different equipment issues might affect different test types.
- What additional considerations do you need to make?
- Consult actions identified following previous experience of equipment troubleshooting or adapting protocols, if any.
- Identify important information you need to consider before embarking on the activity, such as basic equipment checks, common artefact patterns that might indicate equipment issues, backup procedures or alternative equipment, and who to contact for technical support.
In action
- Is anything unexpected occurring?
- Are you noticing anything surprising or different from what you anticipate while modifying test paradigms due to equipment issues?
- Are you encountering situations such as:
- The equipment issue (e.g., persistent extraneous artefact or amplifier noise) proving resistant to standard troubleshooting and requiring protocol adaptation?
- The required modification (e.g., using a non-standard filter setting) introducing new, unforeseen artefacts or compromising signal integrity?
- A critical piece of equipment failing entirely mid-test, necessitating an immediate change in the test sequence or technique?
- How is this experience comparing with previous experiences of similar activities, like modifying other test paradigms or addressing equipment problems?
- How are you reacting to the unexpected development?
- How is this impacting your actions? Did you adapt or change your approach to the equipment setup or testing sequence in the moment?
- Consider the steps you are taking in the moment, such as:
- Immediately running diagnostic checks on cables, electrodes, or filters to pinpoint the noise source?
- Are you switching the test to a different modality or machine on the fly due to the persistent failure of the primary equipment?
- Are you consulting troubleshooting manuals or technical support for an equipment malfunction you have not encountered before?
- How are you feeling in that moment? For instance, are you finding it difficult to modify the test paradigms? Is it affecting your confidence in troubleshooting or technical skills? Are you feeling positive you could reach a successful conclusion?
- What is the conclusion or outcome?
- Identify how you are working within your scope of practice when modifying test paradigms for equipment issues (e.g., successfully mitigating minor noise issues but escalating a major equipment fault to biomedical engineering).
- What are you learning as a result of the unexpected development? For example, are you gaining a new, efficient workflow for equipment fault diagnosis, or acquiring crucial technical knowledge about the influence of different filters and amplifiers on signal quality?
On action
- What happened?
- Begin by summarising the key points of the experience of modifying test paradigms due to equipment issues.
- Consider specific events, actions, or interactions that felt important during this process, such as identifying the specific equipment issue (e.g., cable break, persistent noise, software glitch) and the steps taken to troubleshoot it. How did you feel during this experience?
- Include any ‘reflect-in-action’ moments where you adapted your approach in the moment during the troubleshooting, for instance, immediately implementing non-standard filter settings to mitigate noise or switching to a backup probe/stimulator on the fly.
- How has this experience contributed to your developing practice?
- Identify what learning you can take from this experience of adapting for equipment issues.
- What strengths did you demonstrate (e.g., rapid, systematic troubleshooting, applied knowledge of basic electronics/filters)?
- What skills and/or knowledge gaps were evident (e.g., unfamiliarity with complex software diagnostics, optimal escalation protocols for specific faults)?
- Compare this experience against previous times you have encountered equipment challenges. Were any previously identified actions for development achieved? Has your practice in technical fault resolution and test preservation improved?
- Identify any challenges you experienced with the equipment issue or modifying the test (e.g., persistent artefact despite troubleshooting, time pressure) 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 the fault or alternative procedures or needing to escalate the equipment fault to engineering or management.
- Acknowledge any changes in your own feelings now that you are looking back on the experience.
- What will you take from the experience moving forward?
- Identify the action you will now take to support the assimilation of what you have learned, including from any feedback received regarding your ability to modify diagnostic test paradigms for equipment issues.
- What will you do differently next time you encounter equipment issues? 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 equipment troubleshooting or test modification further? E.g., Practising advanced artefact rejection ratios or developing a more robust pre-test equipment checklist.
Beyond action
- Have you revisited the experiences?
- Have you reviewed your actions from your previous reflections for modifying diagnostic test paradigms for equipment issues during testing?
- What actions did you identify you would need to take to improve your practice related to improving your knowledge of equipment function and limitations, developing troubleshooting skills, or knowing when to seek technical assistance? Have you completed these actions? Are you ready to demonstrate this new learning into practice?
- Engage in professional storytelling about modifying test paradigms for equipment issues with peers, near peers, or colleagues. Consider if your view of the situation has changed because of analysing this with others.
- How have these experiences impacted upon current practice?
- Consider how the accumulated learning from performing or reflecting on modifying test paradigms for equipment issues will support you in preparing for relevant observed ‘in-person’ assessments for the S-OV-S3 module, such as Direct Observations of Practical Skills e.g., performing an advanced VEP test or an extended ERG protocol, where troubleshooting is a critical skill.
- Consider how your practice related to modifying test paradigms for equipment issues has developed and evolved over time. This includes recognising when something related to this activity is beyond your scope of practice.
Relevant learning outcomes
| # | Outcome |
|---|---|
| # 1 |
Outcome
Develop test plans from information given on referrals. |
| # 2 |
Outcome
Prepare patients and the clinical environment for both standard and advanced electrophysiological techniques. |
| # 3 |
Outcome
Perform standard and advanced electrophysiological techniques using correct procedures. |
| # 4 |
Outcome
Identify, assess and remedy issues encountered while performing testing. |
| # 7 |
Outcome
Employ effective communication with a range of individuals, including the patient and the multidisciplinary team. |