Table 2.
Questionnaire responses from 64 final-year paramedic students (46 BSc (Hons) paramedic science students and 18 DipHE paramedic science students).
| Statement | Disagree | Undecided | Agree | Average difference BSc – DipHE* | |
| The knowledge you have gained from your EBP module has improved your ability to implement an enhanced level of patient care. | Whole sample | 19 (30%) | 20 (31%) | 25 (39%) | 0.075 (t = 0.199, p = 0.843) |
| BSc | 13 (28%) | 15 (33%) | 18 (39%) | ||
| DipHE | 6 (33%) | 5 (28%) | 7 (39%) | ||
| The EBP knowledge you have gained now allows you to critically appraise medical literature, and make safer clinical decisions. | Whole sample | 10 (16%) | 7 (11%) | 47 (73%) | 0.418 (t = 1.196, p = 0.241) |
| BSc | 6 (13%) | 4 (9%) | 36 (78%) | ||
| DipHE | 4 (22%) | 3 (17%) | 11 (61%) | ||
| Completing a module in EBP has improved your confidence in helping prepare you for the role of an NQP. | Whole sample | 23 (36%) | 16 (25%) | 25 (39%) | 0.176 (t = 0.428, p = 0.672) |
| BSc | 16 (35%) | 11 (24%) | 19 (41%) | ||
| DipHE | 7 (39%) | 5 (28%) | 6 (33%) | ||
| You regularly observe your mentor(s) (and other senior paramedic colleagues) implement EBP in their day-to-day work. | Whole sample | 31 (48%) | 12 (19%) | 21 (33%) | 0.548 (t = 1.259, p = 0.217) |
| BSc | 20 (43%) | 9 (20%) | 17 (37%) | ||
| DipHE | 11 (61%) | 3 (17%) | 4 (22%) | ||
| The implementation of EBP is discouraged by ambulance Trust managers. | Whole sample | 32 (50%) | 21 (33%) | 11 (17%) | 0.609 (t = 1.515, p = 0.141) |
| BSc | 21 (46%) | 16 (35%) | 9 (20%) | ||
| DipHE | 11 (61%) | 5 (28%) | 2 (11%) | ||
| The Trust’s clinical guidelines and standard operating procedures negatively impact your ability to implement EBP. | Whole sample | 28 (44%) | 20 (31%) | 16 (25%) | 0.029 (t = 0.079, p = 0.937) |
| BSc | 20 (43%) | 14 (30%) | 12 (26%) | ||
| DipHE | 8 (44%) | 6 (33%) | 4 (22%) | ||
| EBP offers minimal benefit because Trust policy and JRCALC guidelines provide everything required to support clinical decision-making. | Whole sample | 17 (27%) | 9 (14%) | 38 (59%) | 1.302 (t = 2.571, p = 0.016) |
| BSc | 8 (17%) | 6 (13%) | 32 (70%) | ||
| DipHE | 9 (50%) | 3 (17%) | 6 (33%) |
*Average Likert scale response in BSc students minus average Likert scale response in DipHE students, analysed using Welch’s test.
Participants rated their agreement with the statements on a 7-point Likert scale, with responses labelled as 1 = strongly disagree; 2 = disagree; 3 = disagree to some extent; 4 = undecided; 5 = agree to some extent; 6 = agree; 7 = strongly agree. For this table, responses 1, 2, 3 are grouped into ‘disagree’, and responses 4, 5, 6 are grouped into ‘agree’.
EBP: Evidence-based practice; JRCALC: Joint Royal Colleges Ambulance Liaison Committee; NQP: newly qualified paramedic.