Paramedic Students Research Articles

응급구조(학)과 학생들의 COVID-19 감염예방에 미치는 영향 요인

응급구조(학)과 학생들의 COVID-19 감염예방에 미치는 영향 요인

Perceptions of staff and students of the role of clinical simulation on students’ ability to perform academically

Background. The Bachelor of Emergency Medical Care (BEMC) uses clinical simulation for teaching, learning and assessing students. The voices of staff and students in understanding how simulation affects academic performance in paramedic students have not been studied before.Objective. To understand the aspects of clinical simulation assessments that might lead to underperformance in the BEMC degree.Methods. An exploratory qualitative approach was used in this study. Twelve focus groups and eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with students and academic staff, respectively, at the four universities that offer the BEMC in South Africa. The data were thematically analysed using NVivo 11.Results. Five themes emerged from the study: These included: (i) environmental realism; (ii) stress during simulations; (iii) cognitive process dimension; (iv) classroom-based v. field-based practicals; and (v) static evolution of simulation practice.Conclusion. While clinical simulation is a useful educational tool for training health professions students in patient management, there are pitfalls that result in student underperformance

Medical Directors, Facilities, and Finances: Resource Deficiencies in Accredited Paramedic Programs

Background Initial paramedic education must have sufficient rigor and appropriate resources to prepare graduates to provide lifesaving prehospital care. Despite required national paramedic accreditation, there is substantial variability in paramedic pass rates that may be related to program infrastructure and clinical support. Our objective was to evaluate US paramedic program resources and identify common deficiencies that may affect program completion. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional mixed methods analysis of the 2018 Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions annual report, focusing on program Resource Assessment Matrices (RAM). The RAM is a 360-degree evaluation completed by program personnel, advisory committee members, and currently enrolled students to identify program resource deficiencies affecting educational delivery. The analysis included all paramedic programs that reported graduating students in 2018. Resource deficiencies were categorized into ten categories: faculty, medical director, support personnel, curriculum, financial resources, facilities, clinical resources, field resources, learning resources, and physician interaction. Descriptive statistics of resource deficiency categories were conducted, followed by a thematic analysis of deficiencies to identify commonalities. Themes were generated from evaluating individual deficiencies, paired with program-reported analysis and action plans for each entry. Results Data from 626 programs were included (response rate = 100%), with 143 programs reporting at least one resource deficiency (23%). A total of 406 deficiencies were identified in the ten categories. The largest categories (n = 406) were medical director (14%), facilities (13%), financial resources (13%), support personnel (11%), and physician interaction (11%). The thematic analysis demonstrated that a lack of medical director engagement in educational activities, inadequate facility resources, and a lack of available financial resources affected the educational environment. Additionally, programs reported poor data collection due to program director turnover. Conclusion Resource deficiencies were frequent for programs graduating paramedic students in 2018. Common themes identified were a need for medical director engagement, facility problems, and financial resources. Considering the pivotal role of EMS physicians in prehospital care, a consistent theme throughout the analysis involved challenges with medical director and physician interactions. Future work is needed to determine best practices for paramedic programs to ensure adequate resource availability for initial paramedic education.

Prevalence of Anxiety among Paramedic Students in Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND: Anxiety disorders are among the most common psychiatric illnesses, resulting in considerable functional impairment and distress. The stressful nature and complex work demands of studying and practicing paramedics make them more prone to psychiatric illnesses, one of which is anxiety. AIM: This study aims to determine the prevalence of anxiety among paramedic students in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among paramedic students in the 3rd and 4th year of the Emergency Medical Services of the College of Applied Medical Sciences at all King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Science branches in Jeddah, Riyadh, and Al-Ahsa’a, Saudi Arabia. We obtained the data from our sample size during May 2020. The study utilized the General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) test to screen for anxiety and assess its severity in paramedic students. RESULTS: There were 181 participants, of which 133 (73.5%) were male students. Most participants reported being unmarried, 99.4%. Regarding the GAD-7 test, 32.6% had no anxiety, whereas the most had mild anxiety, 43.1%, and 14.9% had moderate anxiety, with the fewest, 9.4% having severe anxiety. CONCLUSION: Significant anxiety level was reported among the students, and most showed excessive worrying and nervousness, which affected them academically and occupationally. More research is required to assess the prevalence of anxiety among paramedic practitioners. Addressing the impact of anxiety on students at an earlier stage can improve their academic and work performance.

Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Training in Disaster Medicine Courses for Students in Nursing: A Scoping Review of Adoptable Tools.

Nurses and paramedics play a pivotal role when mass casualty incidents (MCI) occur, yet they often feel unprepared for such events. Implementation strategies for training activities, including virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) simulations, offer realistic and immersive learning experiences, enhancing skills and competencies for nursing students. The aim of this work was to investigate the adopted tools in studies on VR and AR simulations for training nursing and paramedic students in managing MCI. A scoping review was performed following the PRISMA-ScR statement, and the search strategy was conducted through five electronic databases from December 2022 to March 2023. Of 162 records identified, 27 full texts were screened and, six studies were included in this review. These studies involved students who were assigned to different training methods, including immersive VR simulation, written instruction, and traditional lecture. VR and AR and immersive simulation generally show promising evidence in enhancing practical skills and knowledge in MCI management. VR and AR showed to be promising in disaster education and preparedness training, offering different levels of immersiveness and engagement, encouraging active and experiential learning. Further research is needed to determine their long-term effectiveness. The choice of training method should consider program goals, target population, and available resources.

Evaluation of the level of Internet Addiction and its effects on academic performance among Medical and Paramedical College Students in Iraq

Introduction: Nowadays a considerable population in the world uses the internet. Unfortunately, despite many interests and its specific advances in communication, the Internet is sentenced to have serious side effects. Objective: To detect the percentage of internet addiction and its effect on academic performance among Medical and Paramedical students in some Iraqi universities. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 806 medical and paramedical students who were subjected to the online survey which includes demographic information associated with internet usage, and Young's Internet Addiction Test (YIAT) was applied to survey the grade of internet addiction. Results: Results reveal a moderate level of addiction among students without significant variations between genders, high significant relationship (p<0.01) between students concerning their housing area, and strong significant variations (p<0.01) in the time of using the internet, besides strong significant differences (p<0.01) between internet addiction and academic performance. Conclusion: Medical and paramedical students practice the internet for diverse activities including learning despite their moderate grade of addiction there are no significant differences between genders. They employ it over 5 h/day, which affects negative tasks on their academic performance.

The prevalence of myalgia and arthralgia and their associated risk factors among female Saudi medical and paramedical students in Al-Rayan Medical Colleges in Al-Madinah Al-Munawara

The prevalence of myalgia and arthralgia and their associated risk factors among female Saudi medical and paramedical students in Al-Rayan Medical Colleges in Al-Madinah Al-Munawara

Thinking styles of Australasian paramedics and paramedicine students

Purpose Paramedics play important roles in healthcare, yet little is known about their decision-making. There is evidence that thinking style is associated with individual preference for intuitive or deliberative decision-making.Design/methodology/approach Australian and New Zealand paramedics (n = 103; mean age: 38.7; mean 12 years’ experience; 44% female) and paramedic students (n = 101; mean age: 25.7; 59% female) completed a thinking style survey measuring active open-mindedness (AOT), close mindedness (CMT), preference for intuitive thinking (PIT) and preference for effortful thinking (PET). Participants also completed the 7-item Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT) to assess ability to override an attractive but incorrect intuition.Findings With prior exposure to the CRT controlled, regression analysis found increasing AOT and decreasing age predicted cognitive reflection across all participants (R2/R2 adjusted: 0.198/0.157; F(10, 192) = 4.752, p < 0.001). There were moderate correlations between CMT, age and paramedic experience. There was no difference between paramedics and student performance on the CRT, though more students reported prior exposure to the items (33.7 vs 16.5%; Chi-square (2) = 8.02, p = 0.02). Those who reported prior exposure to the CRT scored significantly higher than those who had not (5.08 [1.44] vs 3.87 [1.70]; F(2, 201) = 14.34, p < 0.001).Originality/value Self-reported AOT was associated with cognitive reflection and indicates a role for open-mindedness in paramedics to support decision-making.

Re-emergence of canine influenza in the United States of America; a call for One Health approach; a letter to the editor

Re-emergence of canine influenza in the United States of America; a call for One Health approach; a letter to the editor

Vital Capacity in Different Body Postures among Medical Students

Background: Cross legged sitting posture (sukhasana, yogic) is normal sitting posture in India, Nepal and some neighboring countries. This posture is also claimed to deepen breath. However, not many studies have been documented to observe if there is any difference in vital capacity (VC) of lungs in standing, sitting erect posture in chair, and sitting erect in crossed legged posture. So, our aim is to compare the vital capacity in standing, sitting erect posture in chair, and crossed legged sitting posture. Methods: Forty medical and paramedical students (20 males and 20 females) of Nobel medical college were selected for the study. After selecting the students as per selection criteria, vital capacity was measured with spirometer in standing, sitting erect on chair (palms facing up and down) and sitting erect in crossed legged posture (palms facing up and down). One way ANOVA followed by post hoc analysis was done to compare the vital capacity among different postures. Data were expressed as Mean ± SD. p value &lt;0.05 was considered significant. Results: Significant decrease in vital capacity was observed when posture changed from standing to erect sitting posture (sitting with palms facing up), {(2242.50ml ±155.830 vs 2095.0ml± 181.29) p=0.05} in females only. No significant changes were seen between erect sitting posture and crossed legged sitting posture in both palms facing up and down conditions. Conclusion: Vital capacity was highest in standing posture and lowest in erect sitting posture with palms facing up only in females. Though statistically not significant, among sitting postures, the vital capacity was high in crossed legged posture compared to sitting erect in chair in both males and females.

Correlation of Neck Circumference with Body Fat Percentage by Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis

Introduction: Obesity is a significant public health concern associated with various health risks. Accurate and accessible methods for assessing body fat percentage are essential for obesity evaluation. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between neck circumference and body fat percentage, considering bioelectrical impedance analysis as the reference method. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 63 male medical and paramedical students aged 18 to 25 years. Neck circumference, body fat percentage, weight, height, and body mass index (BMI) were measured using standardized techniques. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and significance testing. Results: The mean neck circumference was 37.4 cm (SD = ±1.6), and the mean body fat percentage was 22.8% (SD = ±4.5). A strong positive correlation was observed between neck circumference and body fat percentage (r = 0.75, p ≤ 0.001). The results indicated that neck circumference can serve as a practical and accessible measurement for estimating body fat percentage. Conclusion: Neck circumference strongly correlated with body fat percentage, suggesting its potential as an obesity assessment tool. Further research involving larger and more diverse populations is needed to validate these findings and explore the clinical implications of using neck circumference in obesity evaluation.

Awareness among medical and dental professionals about oral and maxillofacial surgery – An original study

Objectives: The aim of the study is to determine the understanding and awareness about oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) among dental and medical practitioners, paramedical students and nurses. Materials and Methods: A set of 15 questions was made with the help of Google forms and circulated through social media. This study was performed in Garhwa district of Jharkhand among dental undergraduates and postgraduate students, medical practitioners, paramedical students and nurses. Results: The result showed that out of 170 participants, 69.8% were undergraduates, postgraduate dental students, and practicing dentists; 8.3% were medical practitioners, 8.3% were paramedical students, and 13.5% were nurses. About 92.7% have heard about OMFS. Rest of the results will be discussed in later part of the article. Conclusion: It is very disheartening that despite of prominent role of oral and maxillofacial surgeons in medical field, most of the public is not aware of this. Even medical practitioners are not aware of its role and scope in treatment of various kinds of diseases in head and neck region and as a result they cannot refer patients to the concerned department. Hence, most of the patients in our society are deprived of appropriate treatment. We should adopt different techniques to make people aware about this specialty.

Joint Hypermobility and Musculoskeletal Pain in Paramedical Students and Staff at a Tertiary Care Hospital

Objective: to determine the frequency of joint hypermobility in paramedical students and staff at National Hospital Lahore.&#x0D; Study Design: Cross-sectional study.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: Department of Rheumatology, National Hospital and Medical Center, Lahore Pakistan, from Mar to Sep 2021. Methodology: Two hundred fifty paramedical students and staff of either gender, aged between 16 years to 35 years were enrolled. Localized Joint Hypermobility was defined as &lt;3 Score and generalized Joint Hypermobility were defined as &gt;4 scores on the Beighton Score Scale. Demographic information was obtained from each participant, and joint hypermobility was assessed by using the Beighton score.&#x0D; Results: Mean age of the study participnats was 26.6±4.6 years with 146(58.24%) females. Mean BMI was 23.9±4.0 kg/m2. Generalized Joint Hypermobility was seen in 51(20.4%), and 31(12.4%) had localized hypermobility. Out of 250 participants, 33 (13.2%) had musculoskeletal pain, while among 51 patients with generalized hypermobility, 12(23.5%) had musculoskeletal pain.&#x0D; Conclusion: One out of every five young healthy paramedics enrolled had generalized joint hypermobility. One-third of subjects had at least one clinically documented hypermobile joint. Almost every fourth person with generalized joint hypermobility has musculoskeletal pain compared to 1 in 10 persons without generalized hypermobility.&#x0D; Keywords: Beighton score scale, Generalized joint hypermobility, Localized joint hypermobility, Musculoskeletal pain.

Challenges of Accepting COVID-19 Vaccination Among Paramedical Students: A Qualitative Study

Background and aims: In recent years, public confidence in vaccines has been decreasing. This study was conducted aiming at explaining the challenges of accepting the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) vaccination by students. Methods: This study is a qualitative content analysis. The samples were students who did not intend to get vaccinated against COVID-19. The applied data collection method was a semi-structured interview. Sampling continued until reaching data saturation. To analyze the data, first, the interviews were recorded and typed word by word. Then, they were entered into the MaxQ-10 software. Results: Two main categories of individual barriers emerged from data analysis. The first category included false wrong peace of mind after vaccination, lack of belief in the effectiveness of the vaccine, fear of the vaccine and its side effects, infection with the coronavirus, a tendency to show the insignificance of the disease, and exacerbation of the symptoms of COVID-19 in the case of vaccination. The other individual barriers were the contraction of COVID-19 in the case of vaccination and beliefs in more effects of preventive methods as compared to vaccination. The second category contained collective barriers such as not having proper information regarding the media, considering the political nature of vaccination, waiting for access to vaccines made in Iran, and preventing the family from vaccination. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, to increase the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination, there is a need to remove internal and external barriers through various methods such as providing the community with accurate and timely information through the mass media and facilitating people’s access to various vaccines, especially Iran-made vaccine.

The impact of dementia education on student paramedics' preparedness to care, knowledge, confidence and attitudes towards dementia: an analytic survey.

Paramedics play a vital role in the emergency healthcare of people living with dementia. People with dementia often have complex needs, posing challenges for paramedics. Paramedics often lack the confidence and skills to assess people with dementia appropriately, and receive little, if any, dementia education. To evaluate the impact of dementia education on student paramedics' preparedness to care, knowledge, confidence and attitudes towards dementia. A 6-hour education programme on dementia was developed, implemented and evaluated. A pre-test-post-test design using self-completion validated questionnaires was used, to evaluate first-year undergraduate student paramedics' knowledge, confidence and attitudes towards dementia, as well as their preparedness to care for people with dementia. A total of 43 paramedic students attended the education programme, with 41 fully completed questionnaires being collected pre-training and 32 post-training. Students reported feeling significantly more preparedness to care for people with dementia after the education session (p < 0.001). They felt their knowledge (100%), confidence (87.5%) and attitudes (87.5%) towards dementia had significantly increased following the education session. Using validated measures, the impact of education was found to be the highest on dementia knowledge (13.8 vs 17.5; p < 0.001) and on confidence (29.14 vs 34.06; p = 0.001), with only a minimal effect on attitudes (101.5 vs 103.4; p = 0.485). The education programme itself was well-evaluated. As paramedics are central to the emergency healthcare of people living with dementia, it is essential that the emerging paramedic workforce is equipped with the knowledge, attitudes and confidence to provide quality care for this population. We need to ensure dementia education is embedded in undergraduate curricula, and that consideration is given to the subjects, level and pedagogic approach taken to ensure positive outcomes are maximised.

The impact of a ventilation timing light on CPR Quality: A randomized crossover study

A ventilation timing light (VTL) is a small commercially available single-use device that is programmed to light up at six-second intervals prompting rescuers to provide a single controlled breath during manual ventilation. The device also indicates the duration of the breath by remaining illuminated for the duration of the inspiratory time. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the VTL on a selection of CPR quality metrics. MethodsA total of 71 paramedic students who were already proficient in performing high-performance CPR (HPCPR) were required to perform HPCPR with and without a VTL. The quality of the HPCPR delivered, reflected by the selected quality metrics; chest compression fraction (CCF), chest compression rate (CCR), and ventilation rate (VR), was then evaluated. ResultsWhile HPCPR with and without a VTL were both able to achieve guideline-based performance targets of CCF, CCR, and VR, the group who had used the VTL to deliver HPCPR were able to consistently provide 10 ventilations for every minute of asynchronous compressions (10 breath/min vs 8.7 breath/min p < 0.001). ConclusionThe use of a VTL allows for a VR target of 10 ventilations per minute to be consistently achieved without compromising guideline-based compression fraction targets (>80%), and chest compression rates when used during the delivery of HPCPR in a simulated OHCA event.

Preparing undergraduate student paramedics to consider their mental health during clinical placement in Australia

IntroductionThis article explores the impact of mental health issues on paramedics in Australia, particularly Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, caused by their exposure to high levels of stress. The prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is higher among paramedics than any other occupation, and this could be a cause for concern, especially for undergraduate student paramedics. The article examines the need to build resilience among student paramedics to help them handle the trauma they may experience during clinical placement. MethodsThis study conducted a two-step process to review literature and university handbooks to determine the level of education provided to paramedic students on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and resilience during clinical placement, due to the lack of research in this area. The first step involved a search for relevant articles, while the second step involved a search of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency website to identify paramedicine programs and a manual evaluation of each undergraduate pre-registration paramedicine curriculum in Australia. ResultsThis study conducted a systematic search of national and international literature and Australian undergraduate pre-registration paramedicine programs to identify any studies pertaining to the education of paramedic students in resilience and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The search found that only 15 (5.95 %) of the 252 reviewed subjects had reference to mental health, resilience or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, with only 4 (1.59 %) of them discussing these topics in preparation for clinical practice. The study highlights the lack of emphasis on student paramedic self-care as an essential underpinning for clinical placement preparation in the curriculum. ConclusionThis literature review concludes that appropriate training and support, teaching resilience, and promoting self-care are crucial in preparing paramedic students for the emotional and psychological demands of their work. Equipping students with these tools and resources can improve their mental health and well-being and enhance their ability to provide high-quality care to patients. Promoting self-care as a core value in the profession is essential in creating a culture that supports paramedics in maintaining their own mental health and well-being.

Effects of an On-Campus Meditation Course on Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Sleep Quality among South Korean Paramedic Students

Background. Paramedic students frequently face various stressful and challenging situations as they work in emergency medical settings. Currently, research studies on utilizing meditation courses as a part of the curriculum to improve the mental health of paramedic students in Korea are lacking. Methods. For this quasiexperimental study, a nonequivalent group pretest and post-test research design was used. The study sample comprised 55 paramedic students from two similar-sized universities in different locations: 27 in the experimental group and 28 in the control group. The experimental group participated in an eight-week meditation course, while the control group did not receive any interventions during the same time period. Results. The results indicated that compared with the control group, the experimental group had significantly decreased anxiety ( p = 0.047 ) and stress levels ( p = 0.044 ) and improved sleep quality ( p = 0.041 ). The change in depression levels did not significantly differ between the groups ( p = 0.419 ). Conclusions. The inclusion of a meditation course within college curriculums for paramedic students is feasible and may benefit students in terms of stress, anxiety, and sleep quality.

The Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Online Test Anxiety in Paramedical Students in Qom During the COVID-19 Epidemic in 2021

Background: Following a shift in the exam mode from face-to-face to online exams during the COVID-19 pandemic, test anxiety became more prevalent among students. Emotional intelligence is one of the factors that may be effective in controlling anxiety. To this end, the present study examined the relation between emotional intelligence and anxiety caused by online exams in students of paramedical sciences during the COVID-19 epidemic. Methods: This descriptive-analytical and cross-sectional study was conducted in June 2021 during the final-semester exams of the students at the Faculty of Paramedicine of Qom University of Medical Sciences. The data in this study were collected using a demographic information questionnaire, the Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT), and the FRIEDBEN Test Anxiety Scale. The questions were developed in Google Form and sent to the students. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics, including analysis of variance (ANOVA), independent samples t-test, and Pearson’s correlation test at a significance level of 0.05. Results: The participants in this study were 193 undergraduate students. The mean scores of the students’ online test anxiety and emotional intelligence were 42.03±10.90 and 97.05±14.36, respectively. There was a statistically significant relation between test anxiety scores with age (P=0.020), gender (P=0.010), field of study (P=0.001), and place of residence (P=0.034). However, there was no statistically significant relation between the students’ emotional intelligence and test anxiety (r=0.042; P=0.563). Conclusion: The paramedical students in this study had high online test anxiety and a moderate level of emotional intelligence. However, the students’ emotional intelligence had no relation with their online test anxiety. Thus, other strategies should be adopted to reduce students’ online test anxiety.

Patient Factors which Lead to Disagreement in Triage Decisions

Introduction:Multiple triage algorithms have been proposed to optimize the allocation of medical resources in mass casualty incidents. Despite attempts at standardization, first responders often assign patients to triage categories that deviate from those prescribed by these algorithms. This study seeks to understand what patient level factors cause these deviations, and identify clinical factors which cause variance toward over or under triage. Rather than evaluate these decisions against a gold standard, we instead seek to identify patients that cause controversy among first responders with respect to their choices.Method:This will be an online survey distributed to EMT and Paramedic students in the US. They will be provided with fifty patient cards containing a clinical vignette including description of injuries and vital signs. For each vignette, they will select a triage category (Red, Yellow, Green, or Black.) We will analyze responses to identify areas of controversy, where triage classification showed a significant split between respondents. We can then evaluate these patients for clinical trends.Results:Data collection and analysis are planned for completion by March 30, 2023.Conclusion:Identifying patient-level characteristics that contribute to triage variance can allow emergency managers to anticipate under-triage and over-triage following an MCI. This can aid emergency providers as they plan to receive an influx of patients. It also addresses the sub-cognitive biases that impact first responders decision-making, which may aid EMS educators who train first responders in triage.