Articles that deal on teaching and being a preceptor in the ambulance
Have you ever asked a very simple question of one of your patients such as, “So how did you hurt your leg?” and end up with them telling you their life story as a result? I’m sure you have. It’s annoying, isn’t it? But the thing is, you have to listen to it. You have to let them say what they want to say, at least for a short time, before possibly interrupting them to get to a specific answer … Read More
Why do people go to college? Or university? Or enroll in any other form of post-secondary education? Why did you? Were you the first in your family to go? Was there pressure from your parents to go because they wanted you to be whatever it is/was that they are/were such as a doctor or lawyer? Maybe you really had no idea in high school and just tried to find something that fit your personality. “Oh, that looks like fun! Let’s … Read More
Introduction As our paramedic profession grows throughout the world, so does our need to teach students the importance on research and the role we all play in growing and improving our knowledge. It is important to stimulate students and to teach them that research is not something to be feared, but rather embraced. It is universities, colleges, and programs, like Fanshawe, that have taken this to heart and are paving the way for our future paramedics to be more actively … Read More
When students come out to do their on-the-job training, they are very nearly a blank slate. They have learned the fundamentals of patient care from the textbook while in the classroom, but now is when the real learning begins. That is why a preceptor’s approach to guiding these students is so important. Potentially, it can make or break their careers. Is that too dramatic? I do not think so. I’ve personally heard of and seen some real horror stories. But … Read More
Preceptor Principles: Experience as a Teacher So about two weeks ago I was at home and I found myself sitting on my couch channel surfing a little bit. This was actually a bit unusual for me as I normally have plenty of interests and hobbies to keep me occupied. I guess I was in real need of some down time because I was mindlessly flipping between channels when I came across a new documentary involving the U.S. military. The big … Read More
Paramedic Preceptor: Teacher and Evaluator The paramedic preceptor is a significant factor in how and what students learn during practicum placements. Paramedic preceptors are considered both teachers and evaluators for the student1 within the paramedicine clinical education model2. This signature pedagogical approach3 is considered the primary point of connection between theory and practice for students where preceptors have the unique opportunity to transition the student from the controlled classroom environment to the chaos of practice. It is in this space … Read More
In 2019, the Ontario provincial government announced a funding freeze for paramedic services[1]. At the time, I worked for Peel Regional Paramedic Services in the Greater Toronto Area. In response to this announcement, Peel’s paramedic leadership team swiftly chose to suspend programs such as driver training, autonomous intravenous access training for Primary Care Paramedics, and Advanced Care Paramedic training. I suspect similar decisions were made in other municipalities at the time and that many paramedic organizations across Canada have faced … Read More
If there is one thing in this world that is constant, it is change. The subject matter is almost irrelevant. Whether you talk about large political topics such as the climate, economy or job creation or much smaller issues such as that new rattle coming from under the hood of your car, it is inevitable. Things will change and they will change every day. When you talk about health care, it is no different. From the time I started in … Read More
On December 3rd, 2019 the Georgian College Paramedic Program (Barrie, ON) held its 4th annual student-led research day. As a component of the third semester in the primary care paramedic program students are required to complete and present a research project of their choice, approved by the course instructor. Students are responsible for developing their own independent research project from creating a question, through REB submission, to carrying out the study and data analysis. The course culminates with the presentation … Read More
Next slide. Next slide. Next slide. Wait, what was that video about? Previous slide. Previous slide. Third time’s a charm. Oh come on! A knowledge check? New tab: Google. We’ve all been there. Slogging through slides of material in order to assure our paramedic service that they have indeed educated us. At least we have our one-day, eight-hour classroom session where we can re-learn this and actually get to practice it. Although, not many working medics look forward to that … Read More
