Perspectives of teamwork : Looking at teamwork leadership through the lens of student Emergency Medical Technicians in the State of Qatar

Webber, Scott and Sime, Julie-Ann (2022) Perspectives of teamwork : Looking at teamwork leadership through the lens of student Emergency Medical Technicians in the State of Qatar. PhD thesis, Lancaster University.

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Abstract

Paramedics play a crucial role in the medical community and society as a whole. To become a paramedic, learners must acquire knowledge of emergency medicine, but also procedures and skills in time management, communication skills and teamwork. Learning these goals can be daunting. Part of the challenge is becoming proficient in successfully managing medical emergencies in a high-fidelity simulated learning environment which leads to one’s shortcomings being exposed. These simulation-based learning environments are designed for students to hone the technical and also communication skills taught in the classroom. Other challenges relate to their interactions with the high-fidelity simulated patient. This study explores the interactions between team members in treating a heavily pregnant female Muslim high-fidelity simulated patient with multi-trauma injuries and the interactions between the patient and the team members. This investigation took place at an emergency medical technician diploma program at a Canadian technical college in the State of Qatar. Participants are second year students in the simulation lab course who were tasked with treating, stabilising and transporting a multi-trauma patient. Interpretative phenomenological analysis and activity theory are used to bring depth to the analysis of the data from semi-structure interviews and observations. The results of this work revealed a number of findings. All student participants had received the same information on how a paramedic team should function in a medical emergency. However, their personal views of how a well-functioning team should work were different from that of their colleagues and of the program. Thus, conflict in critical care management transpired. Another finding revealed that the student participants actions and language showed their view of the mannequin fluctuated between seeing it as an artefact to an actual patient. Also revealed was how religion influences the decision-making process, ultimately, leading to hesitation in treatment. These findings raise important questions on how to further maximise learning opportunities in simulation-based medical training environments.