Interprofessional Simulation in Accredited Paramedic Programs

Purpose: Healthcare leaders advocate for interprofessional education as a means to promote collaborative practice, enhance interdisciplinary communication, and improve patient safety in the health professions. There is little evidence specific to interprofessional simulation in paramedic education. Methods: The National Association of EMS Educators (NAEMSE) surveyed paramedic programs that were accredited or in the process of becoming accredited. Program respondents were asked to characterize their resources and their use of those resources, and then were asked about their perceptions pertaining to simulation in their program. Chi-square analysis was used to compare characteristics of programs that participated in interdisciplinary simulation with those that did not. Results: Of the 389 of 638 (61%) paramedic program survey respondents, 44% (159 of 362) report interprofessional simulation. They perceived they used the right amount of simulation more frequently than other paramedic programs X-2 (1, N=362) =8.425, p<0.01. These programs indicated they have personnel support for simulation above regular faculty hours more often than those that did not X-2 (1, N=362) =11.751, p<0.01. They also more frequently reported their simulation equipment was adequate X-2 (1, N=356) =8.838, p<.01, and they more frequently use advanced (fully programmable) manikins X-2 (1, N=362) =4.704, p<. 05, computer-based simulation X-2 (1, N=362) =11.508 p<0.01, and virtual reality simulation X-2 (1, N=362) =5.495, p<. 05 than programs that did not participate in interprofessional simulation. Interdisciplinary simulation programs were also more likely to report that faculty training was adequate X-2 (1, N=359) =12.595, p<0.01. Conclusion: This research suggests that paramedic programs conducting interdisciplinary simulation indicated they have greater access to resources and faculty training to support simulation.