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Objective: This study of paramedic and nursing/paramedic students aimed to determine the initial career intentions of full-time paramedic students and to identify the key factors that influence their career choices. Design: A longitudinal study design, utilizing surveys and a focus group, was employed. Setting: The study was conducted in an Australian regional university with a large, on-campus paramedic programme. Method: Students were surveyed to ascertain the factors that shape their preferences for employment and a focus group was conducted with final year students to further investigate the responses. Respondents were asked to nominate their preferences for employment and identify key factors that influence their decision-making. Data were analysed using inferential statistics and textual analysis. Results: There were 508 questionnaires returned from 704 paramedic students (72 per cent response rate). Of the respondents 82 per cent were originally from New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, the balance from other States/Territories and overseas. Students' career intentions did not necessarily follow their place of origin with 58 per cent preferring New South Wales or the Australian Capital Territory, 17 per cent Victoria, 3.5 per cent other States, and 7 per cent indicating other employers. The identified influences on student career intentions were personal (53 per cent), professional (20 per cent), organizational (8 per cent), and community factors (3 per cent). Conclusion: Potential employers need to address graduate needs if they expect to attract the most talented graduates. Universities educating paramedics should focus on the needs of students and the profession. (Contains 1 table.)

This study identifies the factors associated with the successful integration of ambulance volunteers and first responders into major ambulance services in Australia and New Zealand and then proposes a model of volunteer management for ambulance services. All ten members of the Australasian Council of Ambulance Authorities completed a questionnaire describing their volunteer and first-responder staff, their numbers and deployment, and the management and integration of volunteers within their respective organisations. Eight senior managers responsible for ambulance volunteers and first responders from six States of Australia and one region of New Zealand subsequently participated in semistructured interviews. Analysis of interview transcripts and publicly available data revealed facilitative factors associated with strong, vibrant ambulance volunteer systems. These facilitative factors are commitment to volunteer models of service delivery; a degree of management decentralisation and volunteer input into decision-making; commitment of resources towards the volunteer model; and the organisational integration of volunteers into the ambulance service. The proposed facilitative model of volunteer management developed aims to encourage the adoption of positive and innovative strategies to improve the integration of ambulance volunteers and first responders in ambulance services. The model consists of four components: leadership; integrative processes; resource commitment; and relative autonomy. The first three of these relate directly to the organisation, while the fourth concerns the volunteers themselves. If these approaches were replicated more widely, a viable and effective volunteer emergency health response system could be established in those areas where it is uneconomic or impractical to provide a salaried ambulance service staffed with professionally qualified paramedics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study of paramedic and nursing/paramedic students aimed to determine the initial career intentions of full-time paramedic students and to identify the key factors that influence their career choices.Design: A longitudinal study design, utilizing surveys and a focus group, was employed.Setting: The study was conducted in an Australian regional university with a large, on-campus paramedic programme.Method: Students were surveyed to ascertain the factors that shape their preferences for employment and a focus group was conducted with final year students to further investigate the responses. Respondents were asked to nominate their preferences for employment and identify key factors that influence their decision-making. Data were analysed using inferential statistics and textual analysis.Results: There were 508 questionnaires returned from 704 paramedic students (72 per cent response rate). Of the respondents 82 per cent were originally from New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, the balance from other States/Territories and overseas. Students’ career intentions did not necessarily follow their place of origin with 58 per cent preferring New South Wales or the Australian Capital Territory, 17 per cent Victoria, 3.5 per cent other States, and 7 per cent indicating other employers. The identified influences on student career intentions were personal (53 per cent), professional (20 per cent), organizational (8 per cent), and community factors (3 per cent).Conclusion: Potential employers need to address graduate needs if they expect to attract the most talented graduates. Universities educating paramedics should focus on the needs of students and the profession. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objectives This paper examines the Tasmanian portion of a four state study commissioned by the Australian Council of Ambulance Authorities in order to examine the expanded scope of practice for Australian rural paramedics. The objectives of this paper were to describe the expanded role for the rural paramedic on the East Coast of Tasmania and determine what factors facilitate this role. Methods This study uses qualitative methods. Three sources of data were used for this study: a) semi-structured interviews with key informants; b) direct observation of key processes and events, and c) review of documents describing the paramedic role and required organisational and educational support. The semi-structured interviews included questions relating to the role of the paramedic, involvement with other health disciplines, and interactions within the general community. Findings The study revealed how paramedics on the East Coast of Tasmania have developed a multidisciplinary and multifaceted approach to health care. Emergency care does not end at the hospital doorstep and involves co-operation between paramedics and hospital staff in ongoing care. Doctors and other health professionals who have previously been involved in after hours call outs, training of volunteer ambulance personnel are now free from these additional and often time-consuming tasks. Paramedics have been welcomed as part of the health care team in the area and have been responsible for development of effective working relationships with hospital staff and doctors, volunteers and community members. An important part of these relationships is the health education provided by paramedics. Conclusion Emergency response in rural areas is only a small part of paramedic practice. This study has identified elements of rural paramedic practice that highlight the importance of a multidisciplinary and community based response to patient care in rural areas namely community involvement, organisational support, professional support, and appropriate education and training. Much of these are rooted in a footing of informality. The move from informality to a more formal framework will perhaps enable rural paramedic practice to emerge as a discipline in its own right, as an integral part of a rural multidisciplinary health care team. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]