Paramedic student confidence, concerns, learning and experience with resuscitation decision-making and patient death: A pilot survey.

Background: Around the world, many paramedics are authorised to withhold or terminate resuscitation. Research indicates this can be a challenging part of their role. Little is known about graduating paramedic student confidence, concerns and learning in this area.

Methods: An online cross-sectional survey of students nearing completion of a paramedic degree in New Zealand, including piloting of a newly-developed confidence scale.

Results: Seventy-two participants reported varying exposure to termination of resuscitation and patient death. Participants felt most confident providing technical procedurally-based care and least confident with non-technical skills. Participants' greatest concerns included making 'the right call', supporting grieving family, controlling emotions and encountering conflict. Clinical exposure with supportive mentoring, clinical simulation, peer reflection and resolved personal experience with death, were considered most useful for professional development.

Conclusions: Exposure to termination of resuscitation and management of the scene of a patient death is variable amongst graduating paramedics. Novice paramedics may benefit from opportunities to observe and rehearse non-technical skills including delivering death notification and communicating with bystanders and bereaved family. The Confidence with Resuscitation Decision-Making and Patient Death Scale has favourable psychometric properties and utility as an outcome measure for future research in this area.