Development of quality assurance and educational guidelines for an emergency medical care preparation programme in south Africa
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Date
2021-07
Authors
Nell, Eduard Nico
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
An in-depth investigation was conducted to develop quality assurance and educational guidelines for an Emergency Medical Preparatory Programme in South Africa. With the recent shift from vocational-based training to higher education in paramedic education, a dire need exists to assist in-service Emergency Medical Care personnel with career progression and prepare them for the rigour of higher education, and ultimately be successful with their studies. It is critical for Emergency Medical Care personnel to maintain a high standard of education and training in furthering their paramedic careers. Most, in-service Emergency Medical Care personnel do not meet the admission requirements for higher education. To support the further development of Emergency Medical Care personnel, access to the National Qualifications Framework-aligned formal Emergency Medical Care qualifications is required. Consequently, the Emergency Medical Preparatory Programme was developed to adequately prepare Emergency Medical Care in-service personnel for the rigour of higher education Emergency Medical Care programmes by focusing on Academic Communication and Literacy, Basic Computer Literacy, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Mathematics and Numeracy, and Physical Preparedness. This study sought to bridge the gap created by the absence of quality assurance and educational guidelines for curriculum for an Emergency Medical Preparatory Programme in South Africa. The following research question was thus formulated: Which quality assurance and educational guidelines can be used to enhance quality in an Emergency Medical Preparatory Programme in South Africa? The study’s overall goal was to conduct an in-depth investigation that could provide quality assurance and educational guidelines for an Emergency Medical Preparatory Programme to enhance quality training of Emergency Medical Care personnel and possibly Emergency Medical Care education and training programmes and short learning programmes. Subsequently, this investigation expanded the limited literature on the Emergency Medical Preparatory Programme and contributed to quality assurance in Emergency Medical Care education in South Africa. This study aimed to develop quality assurance and educational guidelines for an Emergency Medical Preparatory Programme in South Africa. A qualitative case study design was used in this study. To achieve the aim of this study, four objectives were pursued by employing a literature review, document analysis, Delphi survey, and an expert panel discussion. The literature review provided context to the research problem and justified the research position in the existing body of knowledge. Furthermore, the document analysis of the Emergency Medical Preparatory Programme documentation determined alignment with the guidelines and criteria set out by the literature review and assisted in identifying themes that were, together with the literature review, the basis for the Delphi survey questionnaire. Data were collected employing a Delphi survey with lecturers involved with training at higher education institutions presenting Emergency Medical Care educational programmes. The reason for utilising the Delphi method in this study was to achieve general agreement or convergence of opinion around a particular content statement generated in the literature review and document analysis on the topic of the research study. An expert panel discussion was conducted with heads of departments at higher education institutions presenting Emergency Medical Care educational programmes, an expert involved with quality assurance in higher education, and a Professional Board of Emergency Care member. The expert panel discussion finalised the quality assurance and educational guidelines for an Emergency Medical Preparatory Programme. Moreover, the thorough research approach and methodology ensured credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability of the study. The completed research can form the basis for further research undertaking. A valuable contribution was made to the body of knowledge by providing quality assurance and educational guidelines for an Emergency Medical Preparatory Programme in South Africa. Additionally, the study assisted in increasing the limited literature currently available on Emergency Medical Care-specific preparation programmes and Emergency Medical Care education quality assurance programmes in South Africa. Hopefully, these guidelines can aid the Emergency Medical Preparatory Programme in aligning with Emergency Medical Care education and providing quality education to personnel.
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Keywords
Thesis (Ph.D. (Health Professions Education))--University of the Free State, 2021, Quality assurance, Educational guidelines, Preparation programmes, Learning outcomes, Exit level outcomes, Level descriptors, Assessment, Module, Physical preparedness, Admission requirements, Generic skills and competencies, Emergency medical care education