Papers by Dr Ruth Townsend
Response Magazine, Jul 1, 2017
Studies of the relationship between paramedics and the law in Australia have highlighted the gap ... more Studies of the relationship between paramedics and the law in Australia have highlighted the gap between how paramedics are regulated compared with other health professional groups who perform similar work for the sick and injured, for example nurses and doctors. 5 Indeed, for just over a decade, paramedics in Australia have been lobbying to increase their professional and legal status by seeking to be regulated in the same way as other health professions. 6
Journal of Academic Ethics, 2022
In Australia, paramedics are obliged to practice ethically. Graduates of baccalaureate degrees in... more In Australia, paramedics are obliged to practice ethically. Graduates of baccalaureate degrees in paramedicine should therefore possess a common grounding in ethics to meet the professional capabilities expected of registered paramedics. However, there is a lack of clarity regarding ethics education for paramedicine students, including what is taught, how it is taught, and how it is assessed. This paper explores ethics education for paramedicine students in Australia, how it aligns with current professional expectations, and how it may be enhanced. Point-in-time data regarding ethics education was collected from websites of fifteen Australian universities offering undergraduate baccalaureate degrees in paramedicine. Data collection was supported by consultation with academics from several institutions. Content analysis was utilised to categorise and analyse data to explore similarities and differences in curricula. Similarities included approaches to learning and teaching and the use of case-based learning, with variability found across teaching staff profiles and content areas. Findings suggest it is time for collaboration to develop a model ethics curriculum for paramedicine students in Australia.
Nursing Ethics, 2022
Background: Paramedicine is a newly regulated profession in Australia and with the introduction o... more Background: Paramedicine is a newly regulated profession in Australia and with the introduction of regulation in 2018 for this profession came increased responsibilitiesincluding the introduction of a professional code of conduct. Several countries now have regulation of paramedicine and associated professional codes to guide ethical and professional behaviour. Despite this, there has been no published research into paramedic understanding and use of their professional codes. Objectives: To explore Australian paramedics' use and understanding of their professional code of conduct. Research design: This study used a qualitative descriptive design, underpinned by hermeneutic theory. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the interview data and identify Australian paramedic perceptions surrounding the use of their code of conduct. Results: 11 Registered Paramedics from several states and territories were interviewed. Participants were invited to interview by advertisement on social media and the Australasian College of Paramedicine Web site. Participants had varied professional backgrounds including clinical work, education providers and policymakers/managers. Four themes were identified as follows: Theme 1-'You don't know, what you can't know'; Theme 2-'I don't need the codethe code is for others'; Theme 3-'It's about time'; Theme 4-'Navigating the new profession'. Ethical considerations: Ethics approval was granted by the Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee (MUHREC) Project ID: 28921. All participants provided informed consent. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that paramedics' knowledge and use of their code is limited, and participants appeared to mostly rely instead on 'common sense' morals. Participants did appear to want to understand the broad concepts of the code more and have this better integrated into the profession. The code was also interpreted as important to the paramedic profession and its new professional status, helping to legitimise it as a health profession in Australia.
Nursing management, 2016
The Care Quality Commission has published a report examining people's experiences of end of l... more The Care Quality Commission has published a report examining people's experiences of end of life care in England. It highlights examples of good practice but shows that the quality of care for some people is still not good enough. The document states that people receive better care when commissioners and services take an equality-led approach and respond to individuals' needs. It makes recommendations for commissioners, has a good practice case studies document and detailed findings on the ten categories of people studied.
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Papers by Dr Ruth Townsend