Entrustable Professional Activities Level in Nursing as Perceived by Nursing Students in Maternal Newborn Nursing and Midwifery Practicum Subject

Abstract

This descriptive research aimed to study the entrustable professional activities [EPAs] level in nursing as perceived by nursing students. The sample consisted of 30 fourth-year nursing students who had completed practical training in maternal newborn nursing and midwifery practicum subjects 1 and 2 in the academic year 2022, Ratchathani University Udon Thani Campus. The EPAs assessment form was used, and divided into 5 levels, from level 1 to level 5, consisting of 64 nursing activities. Cronbach's alpha coefficient confidence value of the assessment form was 0.98. The students answered the self-assessment form. The descriptive statistics and analytical statistics Chi-square (x2 test) were used.
The results showed that the students had EPAs in the maternal newborn nursing and midwifery practicum subject 1 at level 3 to level 5. The most of them 73.4% had EPAs in level 4, followed by 21.9% in level 5, and the least at level 3 (4.7%) were nursing activities during the delivery period all. The maternal newborn nursing and midwifery practicum subject 2 had EPAs at level 4 to level 5. Most of them were 53.1% at level 5, while level 4, 46.9% were found. When testing for differences in the proportion of perceived levels of EPAs, it was found that the proportions of EPAs at level 5 in the maternal newborn nursing and midwifery practicum subject 2 were increased and more than the maternal newborn nursing and midwifery practicum subject 1 with statistical significance at the .05 level. It was concluded that nursing practice in repetitive activities, students will have higher levels of EPAs. Therefore, nursing activities with unacceptable levels of EPAs (Below level 4) should provide students with more practice.