Journal articles on the topic 'Paramedic preceptor'

Background: Clinical placements are of major importance in students’ learning processes through creating supportive environments and fostering independence into paramedic professional roles. The study aimed to explore whether clinical experiences in out-of-hospital emergency services affected students’ learning outcomes and satisfaction. Methods: A retrospective study was carried out using preceptors’ evaluations (n=160) and students’ feedback forms (n=21). Descriptive and non-parametric inferential statistics were used to analyse quantitative items, and open-ended questions were analysed using content analysis. Results: Findings showed that more than 70% of students were satisfied with the quality of preceptors and the fieldwork atmosphere. Preceptors reported that students’ clinical skills across all categories improved significantly in the last two weeks of training. Qualitative data indicated that students displayed appropriate behaviour and professional socialisation and were keen to learn, and demonstrated competence in paramedicskills. Conclusion: A supportive atmosphere and positive student–preceptor relationships are key attributes for clinical placements if students are to accomplish learning outcomes in out-ofhospital environments.

AbstractIntroduction:Accurate field evaluations are critical in determining paramedic students' competency to provide patient care. The [U.S.] National Paramedic Curriculum does not address the skills needed by evaluators, and requirements to be a preceptor/evaluator vary from state to state. Therefore, it is imperative that educational programs develop an evaluation process that reflects valid performance criteria and assure a high degree of rating consistency among the evaluators. This study sought to determine the effects of using a video case based teaching approach in preparing paramedic preceptors for the role of evaluator.Hypothesis:Paramedic preceptors receiving the case-based teaching approach to prepare them for the role of evaluator would demonstrate significantly higher scores on a video posttest than paramedic preceptors who were not prepared for the role of evaluator using the case-based approach.Methods:Thirty-four paramedic preceptors from a Midwestern fire-based Emergency Medical Services system were enrolled in this study. Two scripted video student/patient encounters were used to measure evaluation scores in a pretest-posttest comparison of control versus experimental group. The experimental group was given structured rating guidelines and practice applying those guidelines to a case study. Pretest and posttest scores were weighted and analyzed using Analysis of Variance.Results:Analysis of the pretest–posttest differences revealed significantly higher scores for the experimental group in the categories containing complex behaviors: communication F(1,16) = 13.21, p <.01, assessment F (1,16) = 8.81, p <.01, and knowledge F (1,16) = 29.64, p <.001. There was no significant difference between groups in the categories containing simple, easily observed behaviors: reliability F (1,16) = .55, p >.05 and cooperativeness F (1,16) = 3.02, p >.05.Conclusions:Using the case study method and written guidelines that provide concrete examples of complex behaviors appears to increase reliability of evaluations among preceptors.

Context: Clinical education experiences that actively engage students in patient care are important to the development of competent clinicians. It is important to assess athletic training students' time spent clinically and explore new technology that may facilitate more active learning during clinical education. Objective: To assess athletic training students' active learning time with and without the use of bug-in-ear technology. Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: High school, rehabilitation clinic, and college/university clinical sites affiliated with 3 Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education–accredited undergraduate athletic training programs. Patients or Other Participants: Thirteen athletic training students (11 females, 2 males; 22.0 ± 1.8 years old, 1.8 ± 0.9 years enrolled in the current athletic training program) and 8 preceptors (5 females, 3 males; 35.4 ± 10.4 years old, 3.5 ± 2.9 years of experience as a preceptor) volunteered for this study. Intervention(s): The principal investigator observed preceptor-student interactions on 2 control days and 2 days using bug-in-ear technology. Participants and the principal investigator assessed students' active learning time at each observation period using the Athletic Training Clinical Education Time Framework. Main Outcome Measure(s): Minutes spent on instructional, clinical, managerial, engaged waiting, and down time as recorded on the Athletic Training Clinical Education Time Framework. Parametric (analysis of variance) and nonparametric (Wilcoxon signed-rank and Kruskal-Wallis) tests compared the perceived amount of time spent in each category between technologies and roles. Results: Bug-in-ear technology resulted in less time on managerial tasks (8.2% ± 5.1% versus 14.6% ± 9.8%; P &lt; .01) and instruction (10.7% versus 12.7%, P &lt; .01). The researcher observed significantly more unengaged waiting time than both the students and preceptors (both P &lt; .01) perceived. Conclusions: Bug-in-ear technology may decrease managerial time and spoken instruction during clinical experiences. Preceptors and students significantly underestimate the amount of unengaged time spent during clinical education, which is of concern. Athletic training programs may also benefit from assessing and improving students' time spent actively learning during clinical education.

Context: Leadership development by health professionals positively affects patient outcomes. Objective: To 1) determine if there is any relationship between demonstrated leadership behaviorsandclinical behaviors among entry-level AT students (ATS); 2) to explore if the level of leadership behavior changes between ATS level; and 3) to determine if preceptors and students rate leadership and clinical behaviors differently. Design: Non-parametric quantitative, non-experimental exploratory. Setting: Assessments of ATS in an entry level undergraduate AT education program. Participants: Preceptors and Athletic Training Students. Main Outcome Measures: Archived AT Student Leadership and Clinical Skills Evaluations (ATSLCSE) were analyzed from 2008 to 2010. After the ATSLCSE was assessed for internal consistency and validity, Spearman rho correlations were use to measure the relationship between leadership and clinical behaviors, Mann-Whitney U tests to measure differences between gender and preceptor and ATS ratings, and Kruskal-Wallistests to assess the differences between ATS levels. Results: ATSLCSE had satisfactory internal consistency (α = .91), with criterion-related predictive validity established with correlations ranging from r=.61 to .83(p&lt;.01). The data showed a positive relationship between leadership and clinical behaviors(r = .80,P&lt;.01),significant differences in clinical behaviors and demonstrates leadership behaviors between ATS levels (χ2(2, N=442)=24.66, P=&lt;.001 and χ2(2, N=442)=41.00, P=&lt;.001, respectively), that preceptors rated students'clinical behaviors higher than the students rated themselves (U=20924.500, Z=−.2.424, P=.015),and that females had higher attendance than males (U = 21095.000, Z =−2.08, P=.037). Conclusions: Leadership has a positive relationship to clinical behaviors, with demonstrated behaviors increasing as the ATS progressed through the program. There was also a significant difference between preceptorand student ratings in terms of the students' clinical behaviors. Therefore, educators should consider leadership an important aspect of clinical preparation.

Background: The National Dental Centre Singapore (NDCS) has collaborated with the National University of Singapore’s Division of Graduate Dental Studies to provide supervised clinical training in the five dental specialties for residents since the early 1990s. Faculty were first introduced to the one-minute preceptor (OMP) in microskills through in-house workshops held from May to August 2014. Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess if a OMP faculty workshop impacts residents’ perceptions of clinical teaching in NDCS. Methods: First- and second-year residents were asked to rate their perceptions of the quantity and quality of clinical teaching, and the adequacy of the five OMP microskills performed by faculty before and one month after the OMP workshops. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and non-parametric statistical tests. Results: A total of 37 NDCS clinical faculty participated in the OMP workshops and 34 residents participated in the pre- and post-workshop survey. The short-term impact of the OMP faculty workshop revealed minimal effect on residents’ perceptions of the clinical teaching in both quantity and quality. Conclusion: A one-time OMP workshop for faculty members does not substantially improve residents’ perceptions of the quality or quantity of clinical teaching. The results of this study indicate that the effort to improve clinical teaching by faculty must be a sustained effort. Future studies should investigate the barriers to faculty members’ performance of the OMP microskills.

In recent decades women have had substantial advances in access to higher education and the labor market, but these achievements were not reflected in the high ranking of companies. The participation of women in executive positions in the advisory board of large corporations in Brazil and in the world is still incipient. In this sense factors such as patriarchy, male chauvinism, sexism, among other advances not allow the presence of women at the top of large companies, even when this presence is associated with better performance. Thus, work on the assumption that thinking gender diversity of public policies involves ethical issues and inclusion strategies going performance improvement field and value creation, while the completion of ideas and attitudes from the specificities of each gender can contribute to economic and social development of the company. Thus the aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between corporate value and the presence of women in high-ranking. Therefore, we collected data of companies listed on the B3 and identified those with the presence of women on the board and the executive board, checking the differences between them from non-parametric tests. It is still employed multivariate data analysis from the linear regression and probit regression. The results suggest a positive and statistically significant relationship between firm value and the presence of women on the board. The results show evidence that the inclusion of women on the board in addition to ensuring diversity, meet precepts of ethics, equality, social responsibility, contributing to the better performance of firms and generating shareholder value.

Medical science has progressed leaps and bounds over the past century or so. New concepts and understandings have developed overtime broadening the scope of scientific knowledge in terms of diagnosis and management of various diseases. Surgical procedures have become highly technical with surgeons world over, keen to try and adapt to the changing trends and requirements from time to time. The medical field is one which has always relied on sharing of knowledge amongst the stake holders especially the doctors and paramedical staff in an effort to learn from each other’s experience. The need for this co-operation and co-ordination in this day and age is beyond the iota of any doubt. One way for a constructive exchange of ideas and knowledge amongst the medical personnel is to rely on details of one’s experiences and views to be published in peer review journals accessible to others for enhancing the horizon of their professional practice The importance and impact of Medical journals was best described by a Chicago Physician Salisbury JH in 1906 as follows; “Medical school is attended, as a rule, but once in a lifetime; the meetings of the medical society are usually infrequent, but the medical journal, like the newspaper, is an ever-present friend whose influence and advice are potent for good or evil. 1” To derive maximum benefit from published work it is important to ensure global review of research work and have a constant exchange of ideas2 by way of constructive criticism. To ensure the credibility of their published journals, most of the editorial boards strive to attain high standards of published material. Research work in the form of original articles are favored by most medical journals supplemented by book reviews, reviews of clinical practice, case reports, readers' letters, and their own editorials.3 Their significance is described as under; Original articles give information about objectives, methods, results, discussion and conclusions of a new research. Reviews are an overview of one particular topic of clinical Also included under this umbrella are systematic reviewsand meta-analysis. Reports of clinical cases of special interest or a short series of case reports are now sparingly published in journals. Readers letters and the editors own views on varied subjects adds to the amplitude of a journal. In spite of their importance in disseminating key health information, medical journals have often have had a tenuous existence with a constantly changing spectrum and many journals struggling to define their role. A lot depends on the quality of printed material and readiness of the reading physician to accept the findings printed.Various modalities are used to rate journals for the benefit of their readers. Peer reviewed journals are now accepted as a norm for any publication to be deemed credible. With growing awareness other portals such as impact factor devised by’ Eugene Garfield’ are now frequently quoted to define the quality of a journal. Impact factor is a measure of average number of citations to recent published articles in an academic journal. It is calculated by taking into account the number of times that all items published in a journal over the period of 2 consecutive years are cited by indexed publications in the following e.g. year and dividing it by the total number of citable items published by that journal over the period of the 2 years in question. However it will be inappropriate to use it as a mean of comparison between different journals because it cannot be consistently reproduced in an independent audit4 , the speed of publication varies amongst disciplines and the nature of published articles (e.g. review articles which are cited more often).Way back in 1884, President Leartus Connor of America gave his vision for the medical journal as one which ought to be a medical school, a residency program, a clinical preceptor, a set of textbooks, and a medical society unto itself. He concluded, “it is the great unifier of the past and present, the diffuser of all new facts, new thoughts, all new and better appliances for the study of the human body and for the relief of its derangements5” Almost a century and three decades later his words have been imbibed in history as a guiding principle to define the role of journals in medical science.

IntroductionThis study reports on a subset of findings from a recent doctoral study by the first author, which explored the lived experience of being a paramedic preceptor to novice paramedics in their first year of on-road practice.MethodsA qualitative methodology underpinned by Gadamerian hermeneutics was chosen for this study. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with a purposive sample of 11 paramedic preceptors from an Australian government-funded ambulance service. Interviews were audio-recorded and data analysis proceeded from the interview transcripts.ResultsAnalysis revealed the paramedic preceptor to be a complex, multidimensional role that is operationalised within four key domains: coach, role model, socialiser and protector. Expectedly, a core function of being a paramedic preceptor is that of coach, supporting and scaffolding novices as they learn to apply theoretical knowledge in practice. Preceptors also appear to play an integral role in the professional socialisation of new employees, and are an important role model of professional behaviours and an empathetic healthcare provider. The paramedic preceptors in this study also viewed their role as a critical advocate for patient safety in the clinical practice environment. Advocacy and protection by the preceptor extended to the novice too, safeguarding their physical and emotional wellbeing during the learning process.ConclusionTo our knowledge, this is the first study to specifically explore paramedic preceptorship from the perspective of preceptors in an Australian context. Therefore it provides an important contribution to understanding how paramedic preceptors operationalise this educative role in the clinical practice environment.

IntroductionThe purpose of this study was to determine if the opportunity to execute advanced skills, including intravenous (IV) placement, intubations and medication administration was associated with preceptor/intern gender combination.Methods16,466 emergency calls were analysed from the Field Internship Student Data Acquisition Project. The analysis focussed on emergency calls requiring IV placement, intubation and/or medication administration. A chi-square test for independence was used to compare three advanced skills executed based on the preceptor/intern gender combination.ResultsMale interns were more likely to execute IV placement regardless of the preceptor gender when compared to female preceptor and female intern combination (p<0.001). When male preceptors were paired with female interns, the number of IV placements executed was significantly lower only when compared to a male preceptor and male intern combination. Female preceptor and female intern combination resulted in a reduced number of times endotracheal intubation was executed only when compared to female preceptor and male intern combination (p=0.017). There were no differences in any combination when executing medication administration.ConclusionThese findings suggest female interns may experience bias in executing fewer intubation and IV placement skills than their male counterparts on their first ambulance call of their internship.

IntroductionThis paper discusses a trial of the use of CompTracker© – an online platform used to link the student, preceptor and academic in a time sensitive manner during student clinical placement – within a cohort of 330 first and second year paramedic students studying at an Australian university. CompTracker© allows for preceptors to identify and assess clinical competencies, and for the student to reflect after each case is completed on placement. The tool was initially piloted, and then remodeled on several attempts to improve its overall functionality and relevance for the placement learning experience. The study aims to educate and inform other health disciplines that may have an interest in using online tools for competency tracking and education in diverse workplaces. MethodsMultiple surveys were conducted over a 3-year period, using both Likert 5-point scales and open-ended questions, to evaluate 330 first and second year students’ and 261 preceptors’ experiences. ResultsOf the 54 student responses, 92% felt the tool was useful and 67% felt it was easy to use. Within the preceptor results, 63 ± 2% preferred CompTracker© over traditional paper-based methods. ConclusionCompTracker© can be used to support students and preceptors in clinical placement. The flexibility of this online tool makes it adaptable to most clinical workplaces, and should be considered in any workplace that requires the use of competency-based clinical assessment and used in place of traditional paper-based portfolios.

Introduction: This article is a first-hand report on the experience of paramedic students providing Emergency Medical Services (EMS) at Hajj, an annual mass gathering of Muslim pilgrims in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.Problem: Quantitative research has reported Hajj from the perspective of numbers. A qualitative approach to understanding Hajj was not discovered in the literature. Therefore, a qualitative phenomenological approach was conducted to research the experience of providing patient care with EMS at Hajj in order to understand the experience from paramedic students who part of their EMS education attend Hajj.Methods: A qualitative phenomenological approach was applied to interview focus groups consisting of bachelor degree students studying Emergency Medical Services (EMS) at a public college in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Part of their degree requirements was to attend Hajj.Results: Participants described their experiences as honorable and beneficial to their EMS education. Participants encountered medical and trauma patients and this provided opportunities to apply their EMS knowledge and medical skills. They reported an increase in motivation, confidence and ability to think critically. Participants reported challenges they encountered at a mass gathering of pilgrims from across the world. Common challenges included language barriers and difficulty reaching patients due to crowds. Participants provided recommendations for how to improve the EMS provided at Hajj, which were generally focused on improved utilization of EMS students, development of standards and scope of practice for EMS at Hajj, and a preceptor-training program.Conclusion: Attending the Hajj mass gathering was found to have significant educational value for EMS students. Specific recommendations on how to improve this education experience and provided emergency care at Hajj are made. These recommendations hold practical implications for EMS training programs and Hajj organizers.

Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is defined by the United Kingdom (UK) Health Professions Council (HPC) as: “…a range of learning activities through which professionals maintain and develop throughout their career to ensure that they retain their capacity to practise safely, effectively and legally within their evolving scope of practice.” Suggested key precepts of CPD are that the individual learner is responsible for their own learning and development; it is based upon and feeds back into practice; employers need to create optimal environments for CPD; and learning and development can be derived from an extremely wide and diverse range of both formal and informal activities. Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) must embrace the multitude of activities which contribute to a professional’s development. Any activity which follows an outcome based approach to learning, where the individual has reflected on practice and set about identifying an appropriate activity to develop, can be defined as CPD. This implies a move beyond the spoon-feeding culture of training to an educational approach of selfdirected learning and requires an attitude change within the ambulance profession. The outcome of good CPD should be practitioners with increased competence and improved patient care. This is why demonstrating participation in appropriate CPD activities is important for registration and in satisfying the requirements of professional bodies. To meet these requirements the individual needs to keep an accurate record of their CPD. CPD is an ongoing process of development. The challenge for the individual is to develop the intrinsic motivation required to assess their learning needs, and respond accordingly. The challenge for ambulance managers is to facilitate opportunities for CPD. Fundamentally CPD in ambulance services is about producing improved, competent practitioners to benefit patient care. This is achieved by the practitioner assessing where they are now, following a path to improvement, and recording what has been done.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the factors that contribute to student persistence and gauge prospective athletic training students' perceptions of experiences that contributed to their persistence. Method: The Athletic Training Student Persistence-Revised Survey was developed to gather data about program attributes, social, academic, clinical integration, and program commitment. Institutional demographics, program demographics, and program attributes were collected during interviews. Surveys were administered online through SurveyMonkey. Survey data were returned anonymously by designated contact persons (Athletic Training Program Directors or Clinical Education Coordinators) for all freshmen prospective athletic training students enrolled in the athletic training introductory course/s. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric differences and correlations were calculated. The inductive process was used in coding open-ended data. Results: The Mann Whitney U test and Spearman Rho analysis demonstrated significant results. Program attributes along with clinical integration had the weakest correlations (r = -0.36 and r = -0.32, respectively), while academic integration and program commitment had the strongest (r = -0.58 and r = -0.76, respectively). No predictive variables were found. Qualitatively, persisters and non-persisters managed the pre-application period differently. Additionally, the rapport between athletes and athletic trainers serving as preceptors, the relationships between prospective athletic training students and extant athletic training students, and the mentorship displayed by athletic training students were all contributors to persistence. Conclusions: Communication between the athletic training program director and prospective athletic training students is vital, but the core of the study revealed that what transpires during clinical observation hours, within the introductory course/s, between athletic trainers and athletes, and between athletic training students/preceptors and prospective athletic training students are of even greater importance. The findings demonstrated that decisions to persist are the result of all parties and components associated with the athletic training program, not just one.