Community perceptions of the professional status of the paramedic discipline

Abstract

Background: Despite proactive steps towards professionalism, the Australian out-of-hospital emergency care sector has not been formally recognised as a healthcare profession among other healthcare professions and Government bodies. The objective of this study was to examine community perceptions of the ‘professional’ status of the paramedic discipline and explore which attributes community members perceive as being most desirable for paramedics. Methods: Two structured focus groups were conducted with volunteer community members (n=10) from regional and metropolitan Victoria, Australia. Participants were asked a range of questions, including what title they used in describing paramedics, whether they considered the paramedic a professional, and what they perceived the desirable paramedic attributes were. Thematic analysis and incidence density qualitative data analysis methods were used to examine the responses. Results: The results suggest that the paramedic discipline is perceived as a ‘profession’ by the general community. Participants consistently reported the following attributes as most desirable for paramedics: high levels of skills, caring, empathetic, non-judgemental, culturally sensitive, quick thinkers, inclusive (including family members) trustworthy, honest, good communicators, highly educated, maintain confidentiality, physical fitness and being well groomed. Interestingly, community members used a variety of titles in referring to paramedics, these included: ‘ambulance drivers’, ‘ambulance officers, ‘ambos’, and ‘paramedics’, although it was clear that the term paramedic confused many participants. Conclusions: The general community recognises paramedics as professionals. Interestingly, the term paramedic is still not synonymous among community members, suggesting further lobbying and role clarification is required. The public perceptions of the paramedic role and the desirable attributes of a paramedic provide important information and an extra dimension regarding curriculum development, core competencies, and establishment of standardised curricula.