Paramedic education: developing depth through networks and evidence-based research
Through international literature reviews, focus groups and in-depth interviews, this report identified several major educational issues in the paramedical discipline in Australia, in particular the need for improvements to curriculum development.
Funded by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC)
Project Directors - Associate Professor Eileen Willis & Timothy Pointon, Flinders University and
Associate Professor Peter O’Meara, Charles Sturt University
Date: May 2009
The primary aims of the project were to investigate the following two questions:
- What can be learnt from international pre-hospital service providers, professional associations, universities and the research literature that might contribute to meeting the future educational needs of paramedic graduates in Australia?
- What international and national models of collaboration and working relationships between ambulance service providers, professional associations and universities offer best practice examples for fostering an ideal working relationship for the education of future paramedics?
- And to formally establish a paramedic academic network to foster the exchange of educational ideas, and to further collaborative educational practice within the tertiary sector.
Link to Final Report - www.altc.edu.au/system/files/resources/DS7-616%20Paramedic%20education%20March%202009.pdf
From a news release from the ALTC - "Study recommends changes to paramedic education"
A groundbreaking report into paramedic education has called for major improvements to curriculum development.
The ALTC-funded report, Paramedic education: developing depth through networks and evidence-based research, was prepared by a team led by Associate Professor Eileen Willis of Flinders University as part of the ALTC’s Discipline-Based Initiative grants scheme.
“Paramedic education is quite new in universities and until now there has been little done to ensure that curricula will meet the future educational needs of paramedic graduates,” Associate Professor Willis said.
Through international literature reviews, focus groups and in-depth interviews, the report identified several major educational issues in the paramedical discipline.
“In some states, paramedics can receive training in either VET institutions or at universities at an undergraduate or postgraduate level but a total shift to university-based entry into the profession would disenfranchise some population groups who previously were able to take up this career opportunity because of on-the-job training and income,” Associate Professor Willis said.
The report also noted the common industry complaint regarding the work-readiness of graduates.
“Focus group discussants clearly named the problem as a lack of clinical technical skills, but when pushed to elaborate on the graduate deficiencies the problem was defined as a lack of life experiences or of competency in the non-clinical social skills required,” she said.
“Ensuring graduates have the sort of maturity and more subtle attributes of resilience, teamwork, and the ability to communicate that is required for the job, has yet to be properly addressed.”