Paramedic educational programs maintain entry level competency throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic required unprecedented changes to emergency medical services (EMS) educational frameworks in the United States. It is unclear if pandemic-related changes impacted paramedic educational outcomes. We aimed to evaluate curricular and performance changes resulting from the initial COVID-19 pandemic on paramedic educational programs.

Medical Directors, Facilities, and Finances: Resource Deficiencies in Accredited Paramedic Programs.

Background: Initial paramedic education must have sufficient rigor and appropriate resources to prepare graduates to provide lifesaving prehospital care. Despite required national paramedic accreditation, there is substantial variability in paramedic pass rates that may be related to program infrastructure and clinical support. Our objective was to evaluate US paramedic program resources and identify common deficiencies that may affect program completion.

Paramedic educational program attrition accounts for significant loss of potential EMS workforce.

Objective: Recent concerns for the strength and stability of the emergency medical services (EMS) workforce have fueled interest in enhancing the entry of EMS clinicians into the workforce. However, the educational challenges associated with workforce entry remain unclear. Our objective was to evaluate the educational pathway of entry into the EMS workforce and to identify factors that lead to the loss of potential EMS clinicians.

Outcomes of a controlled trial with visiting therapy dog teams on pain in adults in an emergency department.

Context: Pain is a primary reason individuals attend an Emergency Department (ED), and its management is a concern.

Objectives: Change in symptoms and physiologic variables at 3 time points pre-post a ten-minute St. John Ambulance therapy dog team visit compared to no visit in ED patients who experienced pain.

Administrative and Educational Characteristics of Paramedic Programs in the United States.

Introduction: Paramedics are a vital component of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) workforce and the United States health care system. The continued provision of high-quality care demands constantly improving education at accredited institutions. To date, only limited characteristics of paramedic education in the United States have been documented and studied in the literature.