Emergency Care Practitioner
An Emergency Care Practitioner (ECP) generally come from a background in paramedicine and most have additional academic qualifications, usually at university, with enhanced skills in medical assessment and extra clinical skills over and above those of a standard paramedic, qualified nurse or other ambulance crew such as technicians. It has been recommended by the College of Paramedics that ECPs be trained to PgDip or MSc level, although not all are.[1]
Employment
ECPs may be employed in a range of areas of care such as emergency medical services, primary care centres, hospitals, prisons, walk-in centres, or out-of-hours medical centres.[2][3] The majority of ECPs work autonomously. Many are employed by Primary Care Trusts or Ambulance Services. The work of the ECP appears to be recognized as a valuable asset in many care arenas with the current trend of employment within primary care practices becoming more prevalent.
Education and training
United Kingdom
ECPs in the United Kingdom are educated to different levels. In some areas a BSc or Post Graduate Certificate (PgC) makes one an ECP while in other areas an MSc may be needed.
A number of British universities are developing qualifications which can allow a paramedic or nurse to gain employment as an ECP.
- PgC Patient Assessment and Management (Primary Care or Critical Care Pathways available)
- MSc Paramedic Science - by research
- MPhil Paramedic Science - by research
- PhD Paramedic Science - by research
- DHRes Doctorate in Health research
South Africa
ECPs in South Africa are educated up to the level of BEMC (Bachelor of Emergency Medical Care) - a four-year professional degree. The only four institutions currently presenting the ECP qualification are:
- University of Johannesburg
- Central University of Technology, Bloemfontein
- Durban University of Technology
- Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town
Skills
United Kingdom
Additional skills which UK ECPs may perform include:[4]
- Administration of certain medications under patient group directives (PGDs) such as antibiotics
- Suturing, Steri-Strips (adhesive skin closure strips), and tissue adhesive wound closure (gluing of wounds)[5][6]
- Minor surgical procedures in the field (such as removal of skin flaps)
- Urinary catheterization (placing a Foley catheter)
- System-based assessment
- Otoscopy, ophthalmoscopy, urinalysis
- Neurological assessment (such as tendon reflexes, cranial nerve assessment (CNI-CNXII), MMSE)
- Ordering X-rays and requesting further investigations
- Full UK advanced adult and paediatric life support skills
- Full diagnostics assessment
- Thrombolysis
- On-scene discharge
South Africa
ECP skills in South Africa include:
- Full South African, adult and paediatric, advanced life support skills
- Full diagnostics assessment (Otoscopy, ophthalmoscopy, urinalysis, system based assessments)
- Thrombolysis, fibrinolysis
- Rapid Sequence Intubation (RSI)
- On-scene discharge
- Administration of emergency medications
- Ordering X-rays and requesting further investigations
- Specialized intensive care unit transport of adults and paediatrics
Emerging roles and opportunities
Since around 2008, the role of the ECP has become more popular around the world as the demonstrable benefits of the role become apparent.
As a result, the role has now expanded to parts of Canada, New Zealand and Australia. All of these are largely based on the UK model.
See also
- Clinical officer
- Emergency medical services in the United Kingdom
- Emergency medical services in South Africa
- Emergency medical services
- Paramedic
External links
References
- ↑ "What does a 'super-paramedic' do?". BBC News. 30 June 2005.
- ↑ Skills for Health - Measuring the Benefits of the Emergency Care Practitioner
- ↑ The Competence and Curriculum Framework for the Emergency Care Practitioner
- ↑ Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Ambulance and Paramedic Service - Emergency Care Practitioners Information Pack
- ↑ Dermabond
- ↑ http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/2552.aspx?CategoryID=72&SubCategoryID=727