An innovation in mental health specialty placements

The current article describes how an innovative approach to mental health training for student paramedics can prepare the future workforce with the skills and knowledge needed to provide high‑quality care. Action research methodology is used to describe the delivery and evaluation of the placement, identifying its key and sustainable learning impacts for all involved. Key to its success was the co-production of the placement from beginning to end, including service users and qualified paramedics. The outcome of the placement enabled students to develop the confidence and ability to provide compassionate person-centred care as well as the skills to cultivate self-care and resilience

What value does peer-assisted learning have in the training of student paramedics?

The article below describes how the implementation of peer-assisted learning into the classroom setting can help to support student paramedics in the development of their own clinical skills and knowledge. Peer assisted learning is now being recognised as an effective learning strategy to support the development of health care professionals. Furthermore, adopting coaching style dialogue and conversation enhances learning and development for both the coach and coachee and in this instance for year 1 and year 3 student paramedics. The article describes broadly the evaluation findings of a session whereby year 3 student paramedics coached year 1 student paramedics to further develop a range of clinical skills through demonstration and discussion. A summary overview of the findings reflects the multiple benefits of this innovative approach to facilitating learning, including a notable increase in professional knowledge and skills for both groups of students

Preparing pre-registration nurses for the role of practice supervisor

Bournemouth University responded to transformations in the Nursing and Midwifery Council standards by implementing practice supervisor preparation into the pre-registration nursing curriculum. It developed educational seminars for third-year undergraduate student nurses, with approximately 350 students participating in the seminars over the 2021-22 academic year. Evaluations suggest the adoption of this training into the pre-registration curriculum has been very useful in providing students with an understanding of how to effectively support a student post qualification

How are fitness to practise processes applied in UK higher education institutions? - A systematic review.

AIM: This systematic review will establish how Fitness to Practise (FtP) processes are applied in UK Higher Education Institutions (HEI), in relation to both Health and Care Profession Council or Nursing and Midwifery Council approved programmes. BACKGROUND: Healthcare students are required to complete both practice and theory elements, in order to gain their degree and qualify as a healthcare practitioner such as a nurse. It is a requirement of UK HEIs which provide healthcare programmes, to provide evidence to the appropriate regulatory body that FtP policies and processes are in place, and that they review and manage any concerns in relation to a student's standard of practice. Regulatory bodies provide HEIs with strategic guidance on policy which can be interpreted and incorporated into existing policies; this means that there is no standard approach to the FtP process in HEI settings, allowing individual policies and procedures to exist. DESIGN: A systematic review, registered on PROSPERO (CRD42022291532 on the 21st January 2022). DATA SOURCES: Peer reviewed studies published in ten databases were used which included: Medline, Cochrane Library, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Education Source, PsycInfo and Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) Complete. Citation searching also occurred. REVIEW METHODS: This systematic review utilised Preferred Reporting items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) techniques. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklists were used to appraise the quality of the research. RESULTS: In total twenty-five articles were retrieved including five papers that were finally selected for review. A thematic analysis identified three themes: a lack of identification of what FtP expectations are; the importance of collaborative working between Higher Education Institutions and practice; the inconsistencies with Higher Education Institution processes in managing FtP concerns. CONCLUSIONS: A lack of understanding of what FtP expectations are for students was identified. Collaborative working between Higher Education Institutions and practice is necessary to ensure healthcare students meet FtP requirements consistently in order to protect the public. Although HEIs FtP processes contain similar principles, it has been identified that there are inconsistencies in this process across universities in the UK. These differences include: what initiates the FtP process, to the outcomes. This could have an impact on patient care and safety, the need for review of national guidance, and potential amendments being required to the policies and procedures of both NHS Trusts and private organisations

An Evaluation of Practice Supervisor Training for Student Paramedics

Background: Registered health professionals have a responsibility to facilitate learning in the workplace and those who are supporting students should have the skills and knowledge to take on this role. Paramedics are now working in a variety of healthcare settings. Regulatory bodies recognise that students should have opportunities to develop their supervision skills before qualifying, so practice supervisor training was implemented into the final year curriculum at one university. Aim: To explore the value of incorporating practice supervisor training into the curriculum. Methods: Final-year student paramedics were provided with practice supervisor training as part of their degree. This training was delivered over three seminars before the students’ final preregistration placement. Students were invited to provide anonymous feedback via an evaluation form. Findings: A significant number of students felt prepared to take on the practice supervisor role when qualified. Conclusion: Practice supervisor training, when delivered as part of the curriculum, is of benefit to students

“This is how I'm going to do it, but this is not how you're going to do it”: the expectation gap between student paramedics and mentors in East and Central Scotland

Abstract Background The role of paramedics has expanded significantly over the past two decades, requiring advanced skills and education to meet the demands of diverse healthcare settings. In 2021, the academic requirements for paramedics were raised to a bachelor’s degree to align with other registered professions. The limited evidence on effective paramedic practice education necessitates a novel or new examination of unique learning methods, emphasising the need to establish effective learning relationships between mentors and learners to enhance professional respect and support achieving learning outcomes. This study aimed to investigate expectations between student paramedics and their mentors, focusing on the learning dynamics within paramedic education. Methods This qualitative study used purposive sampling to recruit participants from two distinct cohorts: student paramedics from the University of Stirling and Practice Educator Mentors from the Scottish Ambulance Service. Focus groups were conducted to illuminate comprehensive insights into participants' expectations regarding practice education and their respective roles in the learning process. Codebook thematic analysis was used to assess the alignment of these expectations. Results Findings illustrate important challenges within practice placement across learning paradigms and highlight the attitudes surrounding the integration of higher education and expectations of practice placements. These challenges encompass systemic barriers, including the support provided to mentors as they assume increased responsibilities and barriers that deter qualified staff from initially undertaking this role. Conclusion The study aimed to assess expectations between practice educators and students within the paramedic profession in Scotland. The methodology effectively identified key themes from comprehensive data, marking the first primary research in this field. There are disparities in learning styles, expectation measurement, and attitudes toward higher education during practice placements, which could significantly impact the teaching and assessment processes. The findings suggest increased support for practice educators, educational programs addressing challenges of mentorship, and stronger links between higher education institutes and the Scottish Ambulance Service. Further research is needed to understand the extent of the expectation gap, how expectations evolve, and to develop strategies to address disparities