003 OPERATIONALISING AND EVALUATING THE EMERGING ROLE OF THE PARAMEDIC PRACTITIONER

S. Cooper, B. Barrett, S. Black, C. Evans, C. Real, S. Williams, B. Wright, B. Barrett, C. Real, S. Williams, B. Wright.Westcountry Ambulance Services NHS Trust (WAST), Morlaix Drive, Derriford, Plymouth PL6 5AB, UK

Please note: The results shown below are based on an initial analysis of data from a study funded by the Changing Workforce Programme. Definitive confirmed results will not be available until the end of May 2003.

Objectives: The emerging role of the Paramedic Practitioner (PP) (sometimes referred to as Emergency Care Practitioner (ECP) or Practitioner in Emergency Care (PEC)) was the key focus of this study. Using both qualitative and quantitative approaches the objective was to undertake a scoping exercise to identify the key activities and core competencies of the day to day practice of four newly appointed PPs (all of whom had recently graduated from a 2 year part time BSc in Emergency Care). A specific focus related to the impact that PPs had on the patient’s emergency care experience, for example, treat and referral practice and non-conveyance issues.

Method: A constructivist methodology taking account of stakeholder inputs (claims, concerns and issues) as organizational and development foci for the evaluation drawing upon the constant comparisons of different groups constructs of realities. The first stage of data collection was based upon PPs reflective reports and adapted patient report forms. This first case group was compared to paramedics’ reports (second case group) using the same adapted patient report form. Stage two involved data collection from other stakeholders, for example, Health Authority representatives, Minor Injury Unit (MIU) staff, operational managers and General Practitioners.

Results: Four PPs and nine paramedics participated in data collection from October 2002 to March 2003. PPs were resourced via ambulance control, ambulance crews, and multi-professional agencies. PPs spent a proportion of the trail …