Medication calculation skills of practicing paramedics

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medical Services
• Paramedic Education
• Clinical Skills Assessment

Background:

• Medication calculation proficiency is critical for patient safety in emergency medical services (EMS).
• Previous studies suggest deficits in drug calculation skills across various healthcare professions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate medication calculation competency in practicing paramedics.
• To identify specific types of drug calculations that pose the greatest challenge.
• To explore the correlation between calculation skills and demographic/professional factors.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 109 paramedics completed a demographic survey and a 10-item medication calculation examination.
• Examinations were graded, and errors were categorized (conceptual, mathematical, conversion).
• Results were analyzed for correlations with education level and years of experience.

Main Results:

• Paramedics scored an average of 51.4% on the examination, indicating overall poor performance.
• Intravenous flow rate and bolus calculations had the highest accuracy (68.8%); percentage-based infusions were lowest (4.5%).
• Higher education correlated with better scores, while more experience correlated with lower scores. Conceptual errors predominated.

Conclusions:

• Practicing paramedics exhibit significant deficiencies in medication calculation skills, mirroring issues in other health fields.
• Limited clinical practice and lack of emphasis in continuing education contribute to skill deficits.
• Interventions focusing on improving calculation accuracy and integration into EMS training are warranted.