The state of emergency medical technician education in Ghana
Objective: The National Ambulance Service (NAS) provides emergency medical services throughout Ghana and trains emergency medical technicians (EMTs) at the NAS Prehospital Emergency Care Training School (PECTS). Currently the majority of EMT training occurs primarily in a traditional didactic format...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2020-09-01
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| Series: | African Journal of Emergency Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211419X20300100 |
| _version_ | 1818333987610820608 |
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| author | Katelyn E. Flaherty Ahmed N. Zakariah Vicki A. Vescio Maxwell Osei-Ampofo Mohammed-Najeeb Mahama Vitus Agongo Torben K. Becker |
| author_facet | Katelyn E. Flaherty Ahmed N. Zakariah Vicki A. Vescio Maxwell Osei-Ampofo Mohammed-Najeeb Mahama Vitus Agongo Torben K. Becker |
| author_sort | Katelyn E. Flaherty |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: The National Ambulance Service (NAS) provides emergency medical services throughout Ghana and trains emergency medical technicians (EMTs) at the NAS Prehospital Emergency Care Training School (PECTS). Currently the majority of EMT training occurs primarily in a traditional didactic format. Students and faculty were interviewed to better understand their views of the current curriculum. Additionally, any barriers to integration of simulation-based learning were assessed. Following the interviews, the faculty was trained to conduct obstetric and neonatal simulations. The faculty was then observed introducing the simulations to the EMT students. Methods: A standardized list of questions developed in consultation with an education expert was used to elicit student and faculty expression of opinion. Interviews were conducted in-person in small group settings. Training sessions were conducted in-person in large group settings. Results: Students and faculty alike expressed pride in their work and 14/25 groups felt that teaching efforts were high. However, students verbalized concern involving their lack of rest (12/18) and the high volume of lectures per day (11/18). Both students and faculty felt limited by the lack of simulation tools (17/25), library resources (14/25), internet access (17/25), and infrastructure (20/25). All groups felt favorably towards the integration of simulation-based learning (25/25). Conclusion: The faculty and students of PECTS support the transition from a curriculum based on traditional didactic learning to one based on simulation learning. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T14:00:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-79b47c1e916a4460ba3f7d5c3d18382d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2211-419X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T14:00:22Z |
| publishDate | 2020-09-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | African Journal of Emergency Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-79b47c1e916a4460ba3f7d5c3d18382d2022-12-21T23:42:45ZengElsevierAfrican Journal of Emergency Medicine2211-419X2020-09-01103107110The state of emergency medical technician education in GhanaKatelyn E. Flaherty0Ahmed N. Zakariah1Vicki A. Vescio2Maxwell Osei-Ampofo3Mohammed-Najeeb Mahama4Vitus Agongo5Torben K. Becker6College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USANational Ambulance Service, Ministry of Health, Accra, GhanaSchool of Teaching and Learning, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USAEmergency Medicine Directorate, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, GhanaNational Ambulance Service, Ministry of Health, Accra, GhanaNational Ambulance Service, Ministry of Health, Accra, GhanaDepartment of Emergency Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Corresponding author.Objective: The National Ambulance Service (NAS) provides emergency medical services throughout Ghana and trains emergency medical technicians (EMTs) at the NAS Prehospital Emergency Care Training School (PECTS). Currently the majority of EMT training occurs primarily in a traditional didactic format. Students and faculty were interviewed to better understand their views of the current curriculum. Additionally, any barriers to integration of simulation-based learning were assessed. Following the interviews, the faculty was trained to conduct obstetric and neonatal simulations. The faculty was then observed introducing the simulations to the EMT students. Methods: A standardized list of questions developed in consultation with an education expert was used to elicit student and faculty expression of opinion. Interviews were conducted in-person in small group settings. Training sessions were conducted in-person in large group settings. Results: Students and faculty alike expressed pride in their work and 14/25 groups felt that teaching efforts were high. However, students verbalized concern involving their lack of rest (12/18) and the high volume of lectures per day (11/18). Both students and faculty felt limited by the lack of simulation tools (17/25), library resources (14/25), internet access (17/25), and infrastructure (20/25). All groups felt favorably towards the integration of simulation-based learning (25/25). Conclusion: The faculty and students of PECTS support the transition from a curriculum based on traditional didactic learning to one based on simulation learning.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211419X20300100Prehospital careExperiential learningSimulationEmergency medical technicianEducation |
| spellingShingle | Katelyn E. Flaherty Ahmed N. Zakariah Vicki A. Vescio Maxwell Osei-Ampofo Mohammed-Najeeb Mahama Vitus Agongo Torben K. Becker The state of emergency medical technician education in Ghana African Journal of Emergency Medicine Prehospital care Experiential learning Simulation Emergency medical technician Education |
| title | The state of emergency medical technician education in Ghana |
| title_full | The state of emergency medical technician education in Ghana |
| title_fullStr | The state of emergency medical technician education in Ghana |
| title_full_unstemmed | The state of emergency medical technician education in Ghana |
| title_short | The state of emergency medical technician education in Ghana |
| title_sort | state of emergency medical technician education in ghana |
| topic | Prehospital care Experiential learning Simulation Emergency medical technician Education |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211419X20300100 |
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