Student perceptions in relation to Paramedic Educator (PEd) roles
Abstract
This article examines student paramedics' perspectives of the Paramedic Educator (PEd) role, focusing on specific mentoring qualities that impact upon their learning. Furthermore, it aims to identify ‘mentoring’ issues specific to the paramedic profession. The study used semi-structured interviews with university paramedic students. The key attributes of a ‘mentor’ as identified in the nursing and healthcare literature were found to be relevant to the paramedic profession. Participants identified current challenges in practice specific to the paramedic profession. Questions are raised regarding the extent to which the culture of mentorship within ambulance services is sufficiently established to support students and PEds; the status quo poses significant challenges for students wishing to join the profession.
Recent retraction of the Institute of Healthcare Development (IHCD) paramedic training programme and the concerted move towards all-graduate recruitment brings paramedics into line with other established healthcare professions; a move that has been championed by the College of Paramedics (CoP).
In 2011/12 the most common gateway into the paramedic profession was via an academic qualification through a Higher Education Institute (HEI) or HEI-accredited ambulance service training programme. In 2012 there were 25 universities offering 52 paramedic programmes and nine ambulance service trusts offering 12 in-house training programmes.
Practice placements are integral to all paramedic programmes, with students required to spend 50% of their time in the clinical practice setting to ‘permit refinement of practice alongside the acceptable academic level of development’ (CoP, 2014).
Within the paramedic profession, mentoring is performed by Paramedic Educators (PEds). These staff are ‘responsible for a student's education during their clinical or practice experience’ (Health and Care Professions Council, 2012), providing clinical supervision and are required to ‘sign-off’ students as clinically competent in predetermined ‘elements of practice’ in the Practice Assessment Document (PAD).
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