References

Alden L, Matthews L, Wagner S Systematic literature review of psychological interventions for first responders. Work Stress. 2020; 35:(2)193-215 https://doi.org/10.1080/02678373.2020.1758833

Anderson N, Slark J, Gott M. How are ambulance personnel prepared and supported to withhold or terminate resuscitation and manage patient death in the field? A scoping review. Australas J Paramedicine. 2019a; https://doi.org/10.33151/ajp.16.697

Anderson N, Slark J, Gott M. Unsuccessful, unwanted, and unwarranted resuscitation: exploring ambulance personnel preparation and support for death in the field. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2019b; i:s54-s55 https://doi.org/10.1017/S1049023X19001262

Anderson NE, Slark J, Faasse K, Gott M. Paramedic student confidence, concerns, learning and experience with resuscitation decision-making and patient death: a pilot survey. Australas Emerg Care. 2019c; 22:(3)156-161 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.auec.2019.07.001

Anderson NE, Slark J, Gott M. When resuscitation doesn't work: a qualitative study examining ambulance personnel preparation and support for termination of resuscitation and patient death. Int Emerg Nurs. 2020; 49 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ienj.2019.100827

Brady M. Exploring the role that autonomy plays in achieving a good death: a case study. J Paramedic Pract. 2016; 8:(1)18-24 https://doi.org/10.12968/jpar.2016.8.1.18

Campos A, Ernest EV, Cash RE, Rivard MK, Panchal AR, Clemency BM, Swor RA, Crowe RP. The association of death notification and related training with burnout among emergency medical services professionals. Prehosp Emerg Care. 2021; 25:(4)539-548 https://doi.org/10.1080/10903127.2020.1785599

NSW Ambulance Cardiac Arrest Registry. 2018 report. 2020. https//tinyurl.com/knwhx43k (accessed 17 September 2021)

Fairhead T. Preparing staff for the sudden death of a child. Emerg Nurse. 2019; 27:(5)13-15 https://doi.org/10.7748/en.27.5.13.s10

Joanna Briggs Institute. 11.2.5 Search strategy. 2020. https//wiki.jbi.global/display/MANUAL/11.2.5+Search+Strategy (accessed 17 September 2021)

Kirk A, Crompton P, Knighting K, Kirton J, Jack B. Paramedics and their role in end-of-life care: perceptions and confidence. J Paramedic Pract. 2017; 9:(2)71-79 https://doi.org/10.12968/jpar.2017.9.2.71

Lawn S, Roberts L, Willis E, Couzner L, Mohammadi L, Goble E. The effects of emergency medical service work on the psychological, physical, and social well-being of ambulance personnel: a systematic review of qualitative research. BMC Psychiatry. 2020; 20:(1) https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02752-4

Lazarsfeld-Jensen A. Road resilience: adaptive education for emerging challenges. J Paramedic Pract. 2019; 11:(12)512-518 https://doi.org/10.12968/jpar.2019.11.12.512

Mainds M, Jones C. Breaking bad news and managing family during an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. J Paramedic Pract. 2018; 10:(7)292-299 https://doi.org/10.12968/jpar.2018.10.7.292

McConnell D. A high-impact approach to death and dying training. J Paramedic Pract. 2019; 11:(5)216-218 https://doi.org/10.12968/jpar.2019.11.5.216

McTague L, Hodge A, Williams C, Taylor P, Kyeremateng S. Enhancing community health outcomes (project ECHO): developing a community of practice for paramedics in end of life care (EOLC). BMJ Support Palliat Care. 2019; 9:A3-A4 https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjspcare-2019-ASP.8

Nicell C, Smith R, Hill J, Stead S. O-20 When 999 gets called at the end of life: equipping ambulance clinicians to promote a dignified death (hospices and ambulance service working together). BMJ Support Palliat Care. 2017; 7 https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjspcare-2017-hospice.20

Nowell L, Norris J, White D, Moules N. Thematic analysis. Int J Qual Methods. 2017; 16 https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406917733847

Page MJ, McKenzie JE, Bossuyt PM The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ. 2021; 372 https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71

Pawley S, Owen A, Livesey A. O33 The day the simulator died—the unexpected child death multi-professional simulation based educationday. BMJ Simul Technol Enhanc Learn. 2017; 3 https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjstel-2017-aspihconf.55

Pentaris P, Mehmet N. Attitudes and perceptions of paramedics about end-of-life care: a literature review. J Paramedic Pract. 2019; 11:(5)206-215 https://doi.org/10.12968/jpar.2019.11.5.206

Peterson J, Pearce PF, Ferguson LA, Langford CA. Understanding scoping reviews: Definition, purpose, and process. J Am Assoc Nurse Pract. 2017; 29:(1)12-16 https://doi.org/10.1002/2327-6924.12380

Skehin K, Molloy S, McGrath A, Thompson A, Bourke T, Flannigan C. G196 The fear of losing a child!. Arch Dis Child. 2020; 105 https://doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2020-rcpch.166

Sucharew H, Macaluso M. Progress Notes: methods for research evidence synthesis: the scoping review approach. J Hosp Med. 2019; 14:(7)416-418 https://doi.org/10.12788/jhm.3248

Tataris KL, Richards CT, Stein-Spencer L, Ryan S, Lazzara P, Weber JM. EMS provider perceptions on termination of resuscitation in a large, urban EMS wystem. Prehosp Emerg Care. 2017; 21:(5)610-615 https://doi.org/10.1080/10903127.2017.1317891

Walker E. Death notification delivery and training methods. J Paramedic Pract. 2018; 10:(8)334-341 https://doi.org/10.12968/jpar.2018.10.8.334

student paramedic
teaching methods
learning
mental health
coping

Are paramedic graduates effectively prepared for death? A scoping review

02 October 2021
Features
02 October 2021
Volume 13 · Issue 10

Abstract

Paramedics often come across death because of the nature of their work. Attending an incident involving the death of a patient could affect a paramedic's mental health. A scoping literature review surrounding the readiness and education regarding death in the prehospital setting for paramedic students was carried out. Given the potential impact upon practitioner mental health, the review aimed to determine the quality and extent of new research regarding education in death for paramedics. Four themes arose from the review: inadequate preparation; methods of death education; improved confidence; and implications for more research.

Paramedics encounter death regularly owing to the nature of being first responders to a variety of health-related emergencies. It is also the reality that patients may have poor outcomes such as death and disability.

In 2018, paramedics attended 7874 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) in New South Wales, Australia (Dyson, 2020). Approximately 27% of these patients survived to the emergency department (Dyson, 2020). Given the statistics on OHCA outcomes, it is reasonable to assume that a paramedic will witness the death of a patient.

Paramedic students may not have witnessed death before a work placement or internship. This may be a stressful experience and could influence their mental wellbeing. Paramedics are often required to communicate death notifications and support to families or other people close to the patient and may have personal struggles when confronted with death.

Most paramedic courses aim to prepare students for the realities of the profession but it is not clear how effective they are in preparing graduates for witnessing death.

Subscribe to get full access to the Journal of Paramedic Practice

Thank you for visiting the Journal of Paramedic Practice and reading our archive of expert clinical content. If you would like to read more from the only journal dedicated to those working in emergency care, you can start your subscription today for just £48.

What's included

  • CPD Focus

  • Develop your career

  • Stay informed

Register
Or continue by

Signing in with your registered email address

Paramedics
Death
Literature review
Graduate education
Post-secondary education
CPD
Scoping review