References
From trade to profession-the professionalisation of the paramedic workforce
Abstract
How do we achieve professionalisation of the paramedic? The Trait theory identifies profession as having 1. An exclusive body of knowledge 2. Self regulation and 3. Registration. Becoming a profession leads to improved remuneration and greater respect and knowledge, but this does not lead to a change in personal conduct. Professionalism however, is connected to behaviour, attitudes, accountability and responsibility. The behavioural changes and attitudes required of a ‘professional’ are brought about through the combination of higher education and clinical leadership. Academic input integrates clinical leadership with the career structure and all staff at all levels. Clinical leaders are at the coal face, accessible during and after the event, for training and clinical supervision and are therefore transforming practice at every level.However, clinical leadership is ineffective with an uneducated workforce and an uneducated workforce is ineffective without clinical leadership, thetwo go hand in hand So...
What is the way forward for the ambulance service?
What are paramedics doing to develop and maintain the profession and professional
The move by paramedics from a trade to a profession in today’s NHS and the overall professionalisation of the paramedic discipline continues to be a topic of discussion among its members, many of whom are trying to uncover the scope and impact of this change in status.
The status of professions dates back to the Medieval age, leading to the establishment of ‘the three great professions of “law”, “divinity” and “medicine”‘ (i.e. lawyers, the clergy and doctors) (Abbott and Meerabeau, 1998) in the 18th century.
They distinguished themselves from other ‘occupations’ by defning themselves as possessing three major traits, namely an elite education, an exclusive body of expert knowledge and autonomous self-regulation (also known as Trait theory). They elevated themselves in a hierarchy of superiority, above the ‘occupations’ excluding trades and unskilled/unqualifed occupations in order to give themselves an advantageous monopoly of power in the labour market (Abbott and Meerabeau, 1998).
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