Blood sweat and tea: from pen to proposal

As part of my BSc Paramedic Science programme, completing the research module made up the majority of my third year, with preparations beginning well in advance. Though stressful at times, the writing and completion of my research proposal became one of my greatest achievements as a student paramedic. The exploration of literature and practical experience I took from this module helped me to develop a range of clinical skills and knowledge, which has already aided my patients on placement.

Since I was going to be completing this subject over the course of the academic year, I chose a topic which I hold an interest in: I decided to look at end-of-life care in the pre-hospital setting. Although some may feel this is a despondent area of health care, I was shown how it is an important part of life and how the interactions which take place can be positive for both clinician and patient. To gain an insight into this area, I undertook a 2-week elective placement shadowing the doctors and nurses at my local hospice. This placement helped me decide upon a research question, and I will be organising more elective placements to aid future training. This placement also helped me recognise when a severely ill patient was coming to the end of their life while out on the ambulance. Instead of rushing them to hospital, I was able to plan their treatment around their advance care plan.