‘Interprofessional simulation in paramedicine education: Student perceptions of role identity, communication and collaboration’
Sarah Byden, Maree Bernoth, Robert BearBackground
Interprofessional collaboration is essential for safe healthcare delivery, yet siloed education can limit opportunities for students to develop collaborative capabilities. Simulation-based interprofessional learning has been proposed to address these gaps, but limited research has explored how undergraduate paramedic students experience interprofessional simulation and make sense of their role within such environments.
Aim
To explore undergraduate paramedic students’ perceptions of an interprofessional simulation event (IPSE) and its perceived relevance to supporting interprofessional collaboration.
Methods
An exploratory descriptive qualitative study within a constructivist paradigm that used a single focus group with undergraduate paramedic students. The focus group followed a two-phase IPSE involving paramedicine, nursing and medical students, State Emergency Service personnel, academic staff and a registered midwife. Data is analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.
Results
Two overarching themes were generated: Negotiating Professional Authority and Preparing for Collaborative Practice. Participants described how the IPSE challenged assumptions about professional hierarchy, role identity, authority and communication. Interactions with other professions and emergency service personnel prompted students to reconsider how they enacted the paramedic role, particularly in relation to patient advocacy, handover and assertive communication. Communication difficulties, including siloed interactions and discipline-specific handover practices, highlighted the need for students to adapt communication across professional boundaries. Participants also viewed the IPSE as an authentic learning experience that exposed them to uncertainty, complexity and collaborative demands more closely aligned with practice than routine laboratory simulation. However, they emphasised that interprofessional simulation should be repeated, scaffolded and supported by feedback across the curriculum rather than delivered as a single isolated event.
Conclusion
Participants perceived interprofessional simulation as a valuable context for examining professional roles, communication and collaboration. Their accounts suggest potential value in repeated, scaffolded interprofessional simulation supported by preparation, feedback and reflection. Further research is required to examine how such experiences influence learning and preparedness for practice.