Should Paramedics have teaching BLS in the curriculum

[FireMedic65]

In theory it is a good idea. Paramedics should know what they are doing. But, this is a big but. Not everyone is a good teacher. The person can be very smart and very good at what they do.. but suck at teaching. If a person cannot teach well, then the students will get nothing out of it. They will be taking BP using the caritoid artery or something.

If a paramedic student wants to help with an EMT class, sure why not. But making them teach, not a good idea.

[Kiwiology]

Is that crank pipe in your back pocket mate?

Our Paramedic faculty have freaking masters or doctoral degrees while Clinical Education staff are highly experienced Paramedic and Intensive Care Paramedics who often have seperate education qualifications.

So hmmm, how about not?

[fakingpatience]

I think that there are two separate issues being looked at here. We have the title issue, of paramedics teaching EMT classes. Then, as someone mentioned, the idea of paramedics being instructors to patients. A competent paramedic should be able to educate the public on certain issues pertaining to their health, and perhaps there should be a section of paramedic education focused on this, as they have for RNs. However, I don't think that paramedic students should be forced to teach BLS. As others have mentioned, it takes a lot more then knowledge of the information to be a good teacher. In some aspects, teaching is one of those things where you either have it or you don't. You need to be enthusiastic, and invested in teaching, and the enthusiasm will rub off on your students. Some people just aren't that good at making speeches in front of large groups (think a class of 25+), and as a paramedic, that isn't necessarily a skill that you need to possess. Likewise, the ability to reframe a concept, and explain it in a few different ways so more people will understand is also necessary for an effective teacher. There should be a certification/ degree separate from the initial paramedic cert/ degree necessary to teach any BLS or ALS class.

[DwayneEMTP]

I think that it's a friggin' awesome idea!! But the humility thing is nonsense. For most becoming a paramedic is humiliating enough.

See one, do one, teach one is certainly a sound educational theory. As well, I heard once that you never completely understand something until you teach it to someone else. I heard this a long time ago and have paid attention since and find that it appears to very often be true. When teaching you are forced to turn your subject inside out, to try and understand it very thoroughly so as to be able to explain it well as well as answer questions concerning it. I'm not sure why it has to be a basic class, though I don't see why not either. Why not teach during your medic class? Task each student with teaching one subject per week to their classmates.

I also believe that it would offer many of the benefits that posting at the City offers. To teach people to formulate their thoughts and phrasing prior to loosing them on the world. Very few people are able to say what they mean, exactly what they mean, in a reasonable amount of time simply because they have either never been taught or have forgotten that there is a benefit to thinking BEFORE you speak, not while doing so.

Will all of these students be good teachers? Of course not, the vast majority of teachers that I've been exposed to at all levels suck, but this isn't about making them good teachers, it's about making them better more efficient thinkers and communicators and I don't see anywhere else in the education process that that is happening for paramedics.

Let them assist where they can, but forcing them to stand, think and deliver under pressure? I don't really see a down side here.

Dwayne