Objectives. The purpose of this research was to characterize the use of simulation in initial paramedic education programs in order assist stakeholders’ efforts to target educational initiatives and resources. This group sought to provide a snapshot of what simulation resources programs have or have access to and how they are used; faculty perceptions about simulation; whether program characteristics, resources, or faculty training influence simulation use; and if simulation resources are uniform for patients of all ages. Methods. This was a cross-sectional census survey of paramedic programs that were accredited or had a Letter of Review from the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the EMS Professions at the time of the study. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square analyses. Results. Of the 638 surveys sent, 389 valid responses (61%) were analyzed. Paramedic programs reported they have or have access to a wide range of simulation resources (task trainers [100%], simple manikins [100%], intermediate manikins [99%], advanced/fully programmable manikins [91%], live simulated patients [83%], computer-based [71%], and virtual reality [19%]); however, they do not consistently use them, particularly advanced (71%), live simulated patients (66%), computer-based (games, scenarios) (31%), and virtual reality (4%). Simulation equipment (of any type) reportedly sits idle and unused in (31%) of programs. Lack of training was cited as the most common reason. Personnel support specific to simulation was available in 44% of programs. Programs reported using simulation to replace skills more frequently than to replace field or clinical hours. Simulation goals included assessment, critical thinking, and problem-solving most frequently, and patient and crew safety least often. Programs using advanced manikins report manufacturers as their primary means of training (87%) and that 19% of faculty had no training specific to those manikins. Many (78%) respondents felt they should use more simulation. Conclusions. Paramedic programs have and have access to diverse simulation resources; however, faculty training and other program resources appear to influence their use.
Introduction: Healthcare leaders advocate for interprofessional education as a means to promote collaborative practice, enhance interdisciplinary communication, and improve patient safety in the health professions. There is little evidence specific to interprofessional simulation in paramedic education. Methods: The National Association of EMS Educators (NAEMSE) surveyed paramedic programs that were accredited or in the process of becoming accredited. Program respondents were asked to characterize their resources and their use of those resources, and then were asked about their perceptions pertaining to simulation in their program. Chi-square analysis was used to compare characteristics of programs that participated in interdisciplinary simulation with those that did not. Results: Of the 389 of 638 (61%) paramedic program survey respondents, 44% (159 of 362) report interprofessional simulation. They perceived they used the right amount of simulation more frequently than other paramedic programs X2 (1, N=362) = 8.425, p X2 (1, N=362) = 11.751, pX2 (1, N=356) = 8.838, pX2 (1, N=362) = 4.704, pX2 (1, N=362) = 11.508 pX2 (1, N=362) = 5.495, pX2 (1, N=359) = 12.595, p<0.01.Conclusion: This research suggests that paramedic programs conducting interdisciplinary simulation indicated they have greater access to resources and faculty training to support simulation.
To date, there has been no known research completed on decision-making processes for integrating healthcare simulation activities into the paramedic curriculum. With a growing body of research that demonstrates simulation as a valuable methodology in healthcare education, it is important to understand how to appropriately integrate simulation activities into the curriculum. There is a need to gain insight and understanding into how decisions are made to integrate simulation. This research focused on the community college setting for paramedic education programs. It used a single embedded case study approach to investigate the research questions. The embedded case study selected is a high-performing paramedic program, as determined by reported data regarding national exam pass rates and hiring rates. The selection of a single higher-performing case study is appropriate as it can inform good practice through an analysis of a representative case. Data was collected through interviews and document review. The interviews included the program director, who is the individual responsible for making decisions for the paramedic education curriculum, and other key individuals in the program who play different parts of the decision-making process. Data analysis was performed using Salda�a's (2021) steps of deconstructing and reconstructing data, performed to support the pattern matching and explanation building methodology of Yin (2009). Patterns were matched to the theoretical constructs in the information utilization theory in decision making (Bess and Dee, 2012), and the contextual influences on curriculum design model (Lattuca and Stark, 2009). The findings give a rich insight into the various factors impacting the decisionmaking process which in turn supported answering the research question. The findings SIMULATION INTEGRATION INTO CURRICULUM provide a snapshot of the complexity of the influences and constructs which form the decision-making context for the subject program. The themes identified were: � Organizational and Program Characteristics � Components to Develop Collaboration � Areas of Growth in Practice � Feedback � The Influence of Environmental Factors on the EMS Program These themes will likely resonate with those in other paramedic education settings beyond community colleges. Additionally, the data provided insight into the decision-making constructs used by the program director. For example, information gathered by the program director to create potential alternatives is extensive, and they investigated many alternatives to decide which option best suits the program and learner needs. The implications of this study range from potential actions at the program level to consideration of full policies at the national level. The use of the two theoretical constructs for this study proved useful. Implications include how these theories might be expanded to be more applicable, specific to this research construct. This study provides the basis for future research projects for continued expansion of our understanding of curriculum design, given the appropriate use of healthcare simulation in paramedic education.
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