All staff had expert theoretical and practical knowledge of the clinical competencies required of a paramedic graduates and practicing paramedics.
All evaluators are practicing paramedics and hold state instructor credentials.
Using a prospective factor analytic design, five paramedic educators assessed the 222 practicing paramedics using the dimensions of integrity, empathy, self-motivation, appearance, self-confidence, communications, time management, teamwork-diplomacy, respect, patient advocacy, and careful delivery of service on a Likert-type scale.
Currently practicing paramedics are not registered as allied health professionals under the Health Practitioners Competency Assurance Act (HPCAA) of 2003.
Registration requires an authority body that sets the standards and minimal requirements for practicing paramedics to be certified to practice autonomously [8].
This might influence the professional attitudes of practicing paramedics by making them feel pressure to transport and over triage patients because of the transport incentives.
However, the practicality of implementing the process is not fully comprehended by policy makers who are concerned about issues brought by the process itself, such as the logistics of the transition period to full registration of paramedics and the cost of upgrading skills and registering the currently practicing paramedics who might not have the minimum qualifications required.
Other questions, which addressed more local and cultural issues, were added in, based on previous reports filed by the practicing paramedics to their command, as being problematic or issues of concern over the time period of 3 years from 1 Jan . 2007to 31 Dec. 2009.
Added to this, reduced exposure to critical ill patients [ 3] and dilution of advanced clinical skills is common amongst practicing paramedics [ 1], with the short time allocated for clinical experience, this learning period is vital to students' education.
