Post-Implementation Experiences of the Breastfeeding Promotion Entrustable Professional Activities Project in Undergraduate Nursing Education: A Qualitative Descriptive Study

Information from the abstract

Aim To explore nursing instructors’ and clinical nurses’ experiences following the implementation of the Breastfeeding Promotion Entrustable Professional Activities (BFP-EPAs) programme and to understand the contextual factors influencing its implementation and sustainability within academic–clinical partnerships. Background Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) are increasingly adopted to bridge competency-based education and clinical practice. However, evidence regarding their implementation in undergraduate nursing education, particularly in breastfeeding education, remains limited. Design Qualitative descriptive study. Methods Purposive sampling was used to recruit 20 participants from 14 academic–clinical partnership sites implementing the BFP-EPAs programme in Thailand. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed using thematic analysis. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research guided data interpretation. Results Six themes were identified: (1) reframing breastfeeding education towards entrustable practice; (2) programme characteristics; (3) outer setting influences; (4) organisational readiness and collaboration; (5) individual attitudes and professional identity; and (6) implementation processes. Participants perceived that the BFP-EPAs programme enhanced educational structure, clarified performance expectations and strengthened students’ clinical confidence. However, implementation was influenced by contextual constraints, including workload, staffing limitations and policy–practice misalignment. Feedback mechanisms and strong academic–clinical collaboration were central to competency development and sustained implementation. Conclusion The implementation of the BFP-EPAs programme represents a system-level transition that requires alignment across educational and clinical settings. While early outcomes are promising, sustainability depends on organisational readiness, ongoing support and integration into routine educational and clinical practice.

Why this record is monitored

This record has an Impact Signal of 85/100 based on recency, source, collaboration, and bibliographic signals. It prioritizes monitoring and is not a judgment of research quality.

Related topics: Breastfeeding Practices and Influences · Nursing education and management · Nursing Diagnosis and Documentation