References
Paramedic decision-making–how is it done?
Abstract
In 2005, The Bradley Report called for a move to higher education and the ambulance services saw the advent of the degree and diploma paramedic. Historically, ambulance services have used the Institute of Healthcare Development (IHCD) vocational educational programmes to develop and educate their own staff, using a skills escalator approach to paramedic status, rather than supporting their development in the Higher Education (HE) environment. More recently the services have started to use graduate paramedics educated and developed to the requirements of the HPC Standards of Proficiency (2007) in universities across the UK. This article considers the decision-making process of the graduate paramedics against that of the IHCD paramedic, and involves the hyperthetico-dedutive and intiuitive approaches used by paramedics to inform their decisions, and the treatment that they provide. In addition, it involves the initial work of two research ethics approved empirical studies, currently in progress, that form part of the the authors doctoral studies involving sample groups of graduates from an IHCD programme, and a foundation degree and BSc Honours degree at two UK universities.
With the university route being used to educate our future paramedic workforce before entry onto the professional register, this article explores the ways that experienced paramedics and technicians make clinical decisions and undertake patient assessment; comparing these with the methods used in this area by student paramedics.
In addition, this paper will explore the possible causes of friction between mentor and student, and will link this to the methods of education used for ambulance clinicians. The authors feel that an understanding of the potential frictions between paramedics who have been educated using higher education, and mentors who have experienced previous Institute of Health Care Development (IHCD) based vocational education, will assist both parties when reviewing the student paramedic/ mentor relationship.
The authors are both studying for doctorates and as part of two independent empirical studies that have both received research ethics approval. Study One uses a mixed methodology to research the learning approaches of paramedic students, specifcally looking at surface and deep learning in two sample groups of students, 30 from a local university and 30 students who have graduated as paramedics from an IHCD Programme (Halliwell, 2011)
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