Dr Buck Reed1
1Charles Sturt University, Bathurst, Australia
Biography:
Dr. Buck Reed is Lecturer in Paramedicine at Charles Sturt University with over a decade in academia and 18 years of clinical practice. He is a Registered Paramedic in Australia with both rural and metropolitan experience. Buck’s research focus is the intersection of paramedicine and social sciences, wellness and professionalisation.
Abstract:
There are around 8000 students currently enrolled in paramedicine courses in Australia and New Zealand, producing most new entrants to the paramedic workforce in these countries. Paramedicine students face various challenges, including demanding academic schedules, cost of living stress, and multiple workplace-integrated learning placements. Despite significant data on paramedics' mental health, there is limited data on paramedicine students' mental health.
Data on paramedic education in wellness and self-care is scarce. A 2023 study suggested that only a few courses teach significant levels of self-care or wellness. Additionally, there is no coordinated approach to teaching wellness and self-care in Australian universities, with most adopting an ad hoc approach based on local expertise or interest. This inconsistency likely results in varying quality and intensity of wellness education for students before they enter the workforce.
Given the nature of paramedic practice and the increasing mental health issues among university students, there is a strong case for examining wellness education and support for paramedicine students. High-quality training is likely to increase course completion rates, reduce or moderate underlying mental health issues in new paramedics, and increase wellness literacy among the paramedicine workforce. This may also produce cost and resource savings for paramedicine service providers by shifting wellness education more significantly into the education sector and producing graduates with a wider range of wellness and self-care skills.