Need to know
For #TeamEEAST Last updated: 26 April 2024 at 23:44
Applications are being accepted for experienced Paramedics to develop into the role of Specialist Paramedic (Urgent Care) via a masters degree pathway with our local university partners.
To give you a flavour of the university pathway current MSc student, Nick Williams (Advanced Paramedic - Urgent Care - East Suffolk), has kindly shared his experience to date to give those considering applying an idea of what they might expect.
Nick says: ''Within my practice I have always had a keen interest in end-of-life care, care of the elderly and fallers - these three groups make up a significant percentage of our daily workload - so when the original opportunity to train to become a Specialist Paramedic in Urgent Care (SPUC) came up I jumped at the chance.
“The initial phase of learning was release days at the University of East Anglia (UEA), having face-to-face lectures from subject matter experts. I was privileged to be taught by GP leads, Directors of Nursing and Nurse Practitioners with decades of experience in a variety of settings, from GP surgeries to Prison services.
“The course was well run, with discussion groups and cohort forums to share experiences, discuss essays and generally support each other. The learning was fun and enjoyable but also challenging. The modules I studied for my initial SPUC qualification gave me 60 credits at level 7 and were focused on advanced clinical assessment, evaluation and decision making, and first contact presentations.
“Roll forward four years and I am now practicing as an Advanced Paramedic in Urgent Care and the learning continues. I am now 120 credits into my 180-credit MSc in Advanced Professional Practice. This award is a combination of core and optional modules.
“There is a plethora of choices, from minor injury and illness to end-of-life care, dementia, biopsychosocial care of the older person, and many more.
“I'm hoping to complete the MSc by April 2022 and am confident that this award will be an amazing asset to my practice moving forward. The greatest benefits of the course as I see them are not necessarily the additional technical skills or medications that are now available to me (although they do make a massive difference to patients), it's also about the enhanced decision-making skills and thought processes I now have, and the increased ability and awareness to recognise opportunities to support the education and development of others.”
EEAST is actively working to further develop the extended care we deliver to our patients alongside services and functions which can support the wider integrated care systems across the region. If you are interested in this role, please visit EEAST’s website.
Tuesday 24 August 2021