Paramedics Satisfaction with Simulation Experience for Career Development and Skills Maintenance

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Emergency Medical Services
• Simulation-Based Training

Background:

• Continuous professional development is crucial for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel.
• Medical simulation plays a vital role in maintaining and developing clinical skills for emergency scenarios.
• A specialized 12-month simulation program was developed for EMS personnel at King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC).

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the satisfaction and experience of EMS personnel with the developed simulation program.
• To provide guidance for current and future simulation programs for EMS personnel.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of simulation in enhancing clinical practice skills.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive cross-sectional study design was utilized.
• An online survey, including the Satisfaction with Simulation Experience Scale (SSES), was distributed to EMS personnel at KAMC.
• Descriptive and correlation analyses were performed on collected demographic, professional, and satisfaction data.

Main Results:

• A high response rate of 88.7% (63 out of 71 participants) was achieved.
• Participants reported high satisfaction with the simulation program, with mean scores ranging from 4.44 to 4.63 (scale 1-5).
• No significant associations were found between demographic/professional information and simulation experience or satisfaction levels.

Conclusions:

• The simulation-based continuing professional development program at KAMC is effective for EMS personnel.
• The program contributes positively to professional development and skill enhancement in trauma and medical emergencies.
• Further large-scale studies are recommended to broadly assess simulation program effectiveness for EMS personnel.