ABSTRACT
Experience with pediatric transport and pediatric-specific training for paramedic students and practicing paramedics is lacking nationally. Kapi'olani Community College (KCC) conducts the only paramedic training program in the state and has recently expanded its pediatric training section. KCC and the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) collaborated on a simulation-based pediatric pre-hospital provider training course titled PediSTEPPs-H (Pediatric Simulation Training for Emergency Pre-hospital Providers in Hawai'i), which was developed and piloted in 2019, to supplement the students' didactic and clinical experiences. The program was developed using Kern's 6-step approach to curriculum development in medical education. The PediSTEPPs-H pilot course was co-facilitated by faculty from both campuses and enrolled 12 students in the first cohort. Program evaluation demonstrated high student satisfaction and included feedback regarding curriculum elements for further refinement. The PediSTEPPs-H pilot program evaluation provided direction that the course be offered annually for all KCC paramedic students and as continuing professional development program for practicing paramedics in Hawai'i.
Subject(s)
Emergency Medical Services/methods , Emergency Medical Technicians/education , Pediatrics/education , Simulation Training/methods , Curriculum/standards , Curriculum/trends , Emergency Medical Technicians/statistics & numerical data , Hawaii , Humans , Pediatrics/methods , Pilot ProjectsABSTRACT
EMS personnel in the U.S. continue to be overwhelmingly Caucasian and male, with 75% being male and 85% identifying as nonminority. While the population of the United States becomes more diverse in ethnicity, religion, and race, the EMS workforce remains largely homogenous and does not reflect the diversity of the population it serves. Given the growing diversity across the country, EMS personnel will increasingly be responding to calls for service involving patients with different cultural backgrounds than their own. This growing gap between providers and the population they serve may exacerbate already existing disparities in care.
Subject(s)
Cultural Diversity , Delivery of Health Care , Emergency Medical Services , Emergency Medical Technicians/statistics & numerical data , Educational Status , Ethnicity , Female , Humans , Male , United StatesABSTRACT
The National Association of EMS Educators, the National EMS Management Association, and the International Association of Flight and Critical Care Paramedics believe the time has come for paramedics to be trained through a formal education process that culminates with an associate degree. Once implemented a degree requirement will improve the care delivered by paramedics and enhance paramedicine as a heath profession.
