Background: The ability to engage in self-directed learning (SDL) is considered to be essential for professional practice in out-of-hospital settings since paramedics are expected to continue and update their knowledge and understanding throughout their professional career. Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine undergraduate paramedic students’ attitudes and readiness towards self-directed learning at four Australian universities. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving a paper-based questionnaire was undertaken employing a convenience sample of undergraduate paramedic students in semester 1, 2010. Attitudes and readiness for self-directed learning were elicited by the Self-directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS) consisting of a 5-point Likert scale (1=Strongly Disagree and 5=Strongly Agree). Findings: There were 259 students who participated. Most students were from Monash University (n=113) and Charles Sturt University (n=77). Two-thirds (n=169) of students were < 25 years of age with 54% female. Students from Queensland University of Technology produced the highest SDL score 160.38 (SD=13.56) while participants from Charles Sturt University produced the lowest mean score 154.60 (SD=14.51). Second year students produced the highest total mean score 157.52 (SD=15.19). Statistical significance was identified between the Self-Control Subscale F=3.10, p=0.010 and Self-Management Subscale F=2.83, p=0.017.
Background: Peer-assisted teaching and learning continues to grow internationally as a useful pedagogical strategy in health professional education. Paramedics are continually engaged in teaching students, other health professionals, patients and their families—so experience teaching peers during their university education may increase their confidence when teaching as a paramedic. Objectives: This project aims to explore: i) third-year students’ experiences of teaching and assessing junior students, and ii) first-year students’ experiences of being taught and assessed by senior students. Methods: A quasi-experimental design was used to investigate peer-assisted teaching and learning among paramedic first and third-years at Monash University using the Peer Teaching Experience Questionnaire and the Clinical Teaching Preference Questionnaire. Both self-reporting measures used a 5-point Likert scale. Results: A total of 154 students participated in the study: n=127 first-years (n=87 control group, n=40 intervention group), and n=27 third-years (n=8 control group and n=19 intervention group). The majority of students were <26 years of age, n=130 (84%) and female n=100 (63%). Ninety-four percent (n=120) first-year students felt (strongly agree or agree) ‘teaching is an important role for paramedics’. Almost two-thirds n=82 (64%) felt (strongly agree or agree) ‘being taught by peers increased their collaboration with other students compared with their instructor’. Conclusions: Preliminary results support the utility of peer-assisted teaching and learning in undergraduate paramedic education, and suggest that larger scale studies take place in the future. Consideration should be given for inclusion into existing paramedic curricula nationally.
Background: It has been identified that health science students, and in particular, undergraduate paramedic students may have distinct learning needs. By educators being conscious of the unique learning styles of undergraduate paramedic students they will have the ability to organise learning activities for paramedic students that will optimise their educational experiences. The purpose of this study was to investigate the learning style preferences of undergraduate paramedic students. Methods:A cross-sectional study using a paper-based version of the Kolb Learning Style Inventory (K-LSI) was administered to a cohort of students enrolled in an undergraduate paramedic degree at an Australian university. There were 170 paramedic students eligible for inclusion in the study.Results: There were 57 students (response rate of 33.5%) that participated in the study, of which 70% (n=40) were female. The results indicated that undergraduate paramedic students have a preference for two learning styles: the Diverger style of learning (31%) and the Accommodator style of learning (26.5%). Conclusions:It is recommended that educators take into consideration the learning style preferences of undergraduate paramedic students when developing curriculum and evaluating teaching approaches, especially when planning, implementing and evaluating education initiatives in order to create an effective learning environment for their students.
Background: Clinical education placements provide the opportunity for students to gain practical skills and apply theoretical knowledge not otherwise available in many instances. Objectives: This research explored how undergraduate paramedic students perceive their clinical placement learning environments. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study using a paper-based survey, the Clinical Learning Environment Inventory (CLEI), was conducted on undergraduate paramedic students studying at a large Australian university in semester 1, 2010. A total of 190 students were invited to participate in the survey. The CLEI is a standardised tool that contains 84-items and six subscales. Findings: Sixty students completed the CLEI (31% response rate). It was found that on both the actual and preferred CLEI forms, Satisfaction was found to be the most important domain having a mean score of 29.68 (SD+3.81) and 31.37 (SD+4.35) respectively.Individualisation was found to be the least important domain in both the actual and preferred form, with mean scores of 20.93 (SD+3.80) and 24.03 (SD+3.82) respectively. This indicated that paramedic students as a group sensed that theSatisfaction aspect of clinical placements are an integral aspect of their preferred clinical learning environment. Results also indicated that all six subscales were statistically different at the p<0.001 level. Conclusion: There were significant differences in the perceptions of paramedic students actual and preferred clinical learning environments. This provides educators with strategies in promoting positive learning experiences for students.
Background: Weight estimation in pre-hospital paediatric emergencies is often required for the calculation of drug dosages, fluid therapy and defibrillation. In the pre-hospital field the treatment of a patient needs to occur in a timely and accurate fashion, this necessity drives the need for an accurate weight estimation formula. The objective of this study was to identify a paediatric weight estimation formula relevant to the pre-hospital field. Methods: A literature review was undertaken using a variety of electronic medical databases from their commencement date until the end of May 2012. Keywords used in the search included: Weight estimation, drug calculations, pediatric, paediatric, EMS, EMT, paramedic, emergency medical service, emergency medical technician, pre-hospital, out-of-hospital and ambulance. The keywords were used individually and in combination. The inclusion criterion was any study type that described the development or evaluation of a paediatric weight calculation in the pre-hospital or hospital setting. Findings: There were 635 articles located with 25 meeting the inclusion criteria. The commonly used APLS weight estimation formula significantly underestimates a child's weight. The best guess formula appears to be more accurate at estimating the weight; however more research needs to be conducted to validate this method for the pre-hospital field. Conclusion: As the average weight of children increases, the accuracy of weight estimation formulas decreases, suggesting that these methods will be unable to sufficiently adjust to deal with future rises in average weights of children. Further research is required to determine the most appropriate formula for paramedics to use in the pre-hospital setting.
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