Aseptics —
Training activity: 10

Details

Deliver training to staff working within the aseptic unit and assess success of the training

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

• National guidance
• Local SOPs
• Training pharmacists, technicians and assistants/ATOs of different grades
• Training on a number of different subjects using a variety of training methods
  • Verbal presentation
  • Written training material (e.g. poster)
  • Practical training
  • Competency assessment
• Feedback from trainees
• Appropriate method of assessing training.
• Limits of practice
• Limits of knowledge

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?
  • How will you clearly identify what is expected of you regarding the effective delivery of training to enhance staff competency?
  • In what ways will you demonstrate that you have successfully met your objectives, including the development and implementation of procedures and the application of risk management techniques in context?
  • What specific points will you discuss with your Training Officer to gain clarity on training content, delivery methods, and the criteria for what constitutes a successful outcome within the aseptic unit?
• What is your prior experience of this activity?
  • What existing knowledge of delivering training sessions, presenting information, or assessing learning outcomes will you bring to this task?
  • Have you previously taught or mentored staff, and how familiar are you with different learning styles or assessment methodologies?
  • What challenges do you anticipate facing—such as engaging different learning styles or explaining complex aseptic procedures—and how do you plan to handle these potential issues?
  • How will you recognise the scope of your own practice, ensuring you know exactly when you are permitted to work independently and when you must seek advice or help?
  • How do you honestly feel about embarking on this activity—are you confident in your presentation skills, and do you feel prepared to facilitate learning effectively?
• What do you anticipate you will learn from the experience?
  • Which specific skills—such as instructional design, advanced presentation techniques, or robust assessment methodologies—do you want to develop based on your previous experiences?
  • What specific insights do you hope to gain, such as a deeper understanding of adult learning principles in healthcare or best practices for competency assessment in aseptic environments?
  • How do you hope to improve your ability to adapt training for diverse audiences?
• What additional considerations do you need to make?
  • How will you consult and apply actions identified from your previous experiences of delivering training or assessing performance to improve your current practice?
  • Did a previous task highlight areas for improvement, such as managing group dynamics or refining your assessment tools, that you should focus on here?
  • What important information must you consider before you begin, such as the specific content to be trained, the target audience’s current knowledge level, and the available resources?

In action

• Are you noticing anything surprising or different from what you anticipate while delivering the training and assessing its success?
  • Are you encountering situations such as:
    • Unexpected disengagement from the audience or difficulty maintaining their attention?
    • Challenging questions that require on-the-spot critical thinking or a different explanation?
    • Technical issues with presentation tools or training materials?
    • Significant gaps in trainees’ prior knowledge that you hadn’t anticipated?
    • The assessment method revealing a different level of understanding than expected?
  • How does this experience compare with previous experiences of similar activities?
• 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 within your authority, or do you need support because it is beyond your current scope (for example, seeking immediate support for a technical issue or adapting the training content significantly on the fly)?
  • What are you learning in this moment as a result of any unexpected development? For example, are you learning improved instructional design strategies, effective communication techniques for complex topics, or methods for engaging diverse learners?
• 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 changing your teaching approach or presentation style mid-session?
    • Are you addressing difficult questions directly or rephrasing explanations for clarity?
    • Are you adapting your assessment method or providing immediate, informal feedback?
    • Are you adjusting the pace or content of the training based on immediate feedback or observation of understanding?
  • How are you feeling in this moment? For example, are you finding it difficult to adapt? Is it affecting your confidence? Are you feeling positive you can reach a successful conclusion?

On action

• Summarise the key points of the experience of delivering the training and assessing its success.
  • Consider specific events, actions, or interactions which felt important, including your own feelings during the experience. For example:
    • Describe the training topic and the audience
    • Detail the methods you used for delivery and assessment
    • Explain how you measured the success of the training
  •  Include any ‘reflect-in-action’ moments where you adapted to unexpected developments as they unfolded, such as adjusting your teaching style due to audience disengagement, responding to challenging questions, or improvising due to technical issues with presentation tools.
• Identify what learning you can take from the experience.
  • What strengths did you demonstrate in delivering training or assessing understanding?
  • What skills or knowledge gaps were evident, perhaps in engaging diverse learners or adapting content on the fly?
  • Compare this experience against previous engagement with similar activities. Were any previously identified actions for development regarding training delivery or assessment strategies achieved?
  • Has your ability to effectively communicate complex information and assess its understanding improved?
  • Identify any challenges you experienced and how you reacted to these. Did unexpected audience reactions or technical issues affect your ability to deliver the training effectively? Were you able to overcome challenges related to maintaining engagement or assessing comprehension?
  • Identify anything significant about the activity. Did you need to seek advice or clarification on a training methodology or how to handle a difficult question? Or did you need to escalate an issue regarding a significant knowledge gap in trainees to ensure the safe operation of the aseptic unit?
  • Acknowledge any changes in your own feelings now that you are looking back on the experience.
• Identify the actions / ‘next steps’ you will now take to support the assimilation of what you have learnt, including from any feedback you have received. For instance, what will you do differently next time you deliver training to staff?
  • Has anything changed in terms of how you would prepare for potential challenges or how you would assess training success?
  • Do you need to practise any aspect of instructional design, communication, or feedback delivery further?

Beyond action

• Have you revisited previous experiences of delivering training and assessing its success?
  • Have you reviewed your actions from your previous reflections on delivering training sessions within the aseptic unit?
  • What specific actions did you identify you would need to take to improve your training delivery methods, content, or assessment strategies? Have you completed these actions?
  • Are you ready to demonstrate this new learning into practice in future training endeavours?
  • Has your view of effective training delivery or assessment changed because of analysing this with others?
• How have these collective experiences of delivering and assessing training impacted your current practice?
  • Consider how the learning from consistently delivering and assessing training will support you in preparing for observed ‘in-person’ assessments, for example Observed Communication Events (OCEs) (e.g., ‘Provide specialist advice on an aseptically prepared product to a healthcare professional’) or Case-Based Discussions that require communication and pedagogical skills.
  • How has your practice in communicating complex information and fostering learning developed and evolved over time?
  • Are you more adept at recognising when training needs are beyond your scope of expertise or require external resources?

Relevant learning outcomes

#	Outcome
# 5	Outcome Develop and implement standard operating procedures (SOPs) and related documentation for a range of processes.
# 6	Outcome Apply risk management techniques in the context of aseptic medicines.