Attitudes of Paramedic Students towards Specific Medical Conditions: A four-year study

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Author(s)
Williams, Brett
Boyle, Malcolm J.
Howard, Stuart
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
2015
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Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the attitude of first year students entering a paramedic course over 4 consecutive yearly intakes toward patients with intellectual disability, substance abuse, attempted suicide, and acute mental illness. Method: The students’ attitude towards four medical conditions commonly encountered in the out-of-hospital setting was assessed using the Medical Condition Regard Scale (MCRS). The MCRS score ranges from 11 to 66. Results: 230 students in Victoria, Australia, participated in the study; 66% were female, and 76% of all students < 21 years of age. Students showed the most ...
View more >Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the attitude of first year students entering a paramedic course over 4 consecutive yearly intakes toward patients with intellectual disability, substance abuse, attempted suicide, and acute mental illness. Method: The students’ attitude towards four medical conditions commonly encountered in the out-of-hospital setting was assessed using the Medical Condition Regard Scale (MCRS). The MCRS score ranges from 11 to 66. Results: 230 students in Victoria, Australia, participated in the study; 66% were female, and 76% of all students < 21 years of age. Students showed the most negative attitudes towards substance abuse, mean 35(SD+6.6), and the most positive attitude toward intellectual disability, mean 38.2(SD+6.3). Students in 2008 cohort displayed significantly higher regard for all medical conditions (p<0.05). The 2009 and 2010 study participants demonstrated significantly lower regard, mean 36 (p=0.01) and mean 36.2 (p=0.018), for intellectual disability cases when compared to the most recent 2011 study group; mean 38.6. Conclusions: The study findings suggest that these students in Victoria, Australia, entering an undergraduate paramedic or paramedic/nursing course have a relatively poor attitude towards the four reviewed medical conditions, particularly substance abuse.
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View more >Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the attitude of first year students entering a paramedic course over 4 consecutive yearly intakes toward patients with intellectual disability, substance abuse, attempted suicide, and acute mental illness. Method: The students’ attitude towards four medical conditions commonly encountered in the out-of-hospital setting was assessed using the Medical Condition Regard Scale (MCRS). The MCRS score ranges from 11 to 66. Results: 230 students in Victoria, Australia, participated in the study; 66% were female, and 76% of all students < 21 years of age. Students showed the most negative attitudes towards substance abuse, mean 35(SD+6.6), and the most positive attitude toward intellectual disability, mean 38.2(SD+6.3). Students in 2008 cohort displayed significantly higher regard for all medical conditions (p<0.05). The 2009 and 2010 study participants demonstrated significantly lower regard, mean 36 (p=0.01) and mean 36.2 (p=0.018), for intellectual disability cases when compared to the most recent 2011 study group; mean 38.6. Conclusions: The study findings suggest that these students in Victoria, Australia, entering an undergraduate paramedic or paramedic/nursing course have a relatively poor attitude towards the four reviewed medical conditions, particularly substance abuse.
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Journal Title
Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice
Volume
13
Issue
2
Publisher URI
Copyright Statement
© 2015 Nova Southeastern University and the author(s). The attached file is reproduced here in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. Please refer to the journal's website for access to the definitive, published version.
Subject
Medical and Health Sciences not elsewhere classified
Clinical Sciences
Public Health and Health Services
Other Medical and Health Sciences