1. Preceptor Orientation Department of EMS

2. Welcome!
Thank you for becoming a preceptor for the UAMS Department of EMS Paramedic Program
The purpose of this orientation is to familiarize you with:
The preceptor role
Clinical training
How to provide feedback
How to evaluate students
Student right to privacy

3. Remember That You Weren’t Always Successful
Many new paramedics look at successful pre-hospital care providers & think they were always that way
Most professionals have had great mentors
We developed over time & through much trial & error
We received correction along the way

4. You Are Now The Mentor You are now a preceptor and thus a mentor
Many times, you are the first medical professional that students will see “in action”
Do not underestimate the impact your attitude and actions have upon the paramedic student
The mentoring the student receives is just as important (maybe more so) as the training he/she receives in the classroom

5. Why Do Students Need A Preceptor?
Students need help coping with a totally new environment
They need to develop a professional identification
They need to understand that there are a variety of strategies that are effective
There is not just one way
They need to develop their own “style”

6. Preceptor Responsibilities
Provide a model for the student to emulate
Discuss “problem” calls, patients, or situations
Help the students find their tools to succeed
Supervise & guide clinical and field performance
Provide positive & correctional feedback that will allow the student to “grow”

7. Preceptor Responsibilities
Completely & honestly fill out & sign the students evaluation forms
Keep student records confidential
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
A Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records
20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99

8. Preceptor Characteristics
Knowledgeable in medicine
Possess good communication skills
Establish a “safe” environment that is conducive to learning
Share practical steps in patient care
Provide positive & correctional feedback, when necessary
Listen to the student

9. Remember Your Own Experience
What is a bad preceptor?
What is a good preceptor?

10. Preceptor Roles Provide guidance and help when needed Share knowledge
Allow enough “space”
So the student can treat the patient
While preventing the student from doing harm
Make mental notes about
Behavior you want to reinforce
Practices you want to correct
Review with the student in a private setting

11. Roles (continued) Try to keep an open mind
there is more than one way to reach a certain goal
Allow the student to experiment
Remember that they are still in the learning process
Students should not be expected to perform to the level of an experienced EMT or Paramedic

12. If The Student Has A Different Style
Is it safe?
Does it meet the standard of care?
Would the Medical Director approve of the style?
Does it cause any harm?
Is it offensive in any way?

13. Clinical Practicum I & II Clinical Training
The beginning of the education
The student may be “book smart”
But may lack experience
The primary focus during this phase
To practice newly learned skills
Become more competent with them
Answer questions & “quiz” them
Be available to the student

14. Clinical Practicum III Clinical Training
Will begin gaining a better understanding of their role as a Paramedic
In clinical
Patient care autonomy should be increased over Clinical I & II
Paramedic students should be allowed to start taking the role of “team leader”
Non-complicated patients
Examples: chest pain or single system trauma
Be there to “oversee” the care

15. Clinical Practicum III Clinical Training
Includes Field Internship Phase I in Clinical Practicum III (48 hrs. of observation 3rd rides)
Student should be challenged to
Take a more global view of their role
Pay attention to details
Formulation of a care plan
Delegation of assignments (scene choreography)
Transportation needs
Re-assessment of the patient
Providing definitive care

16. EMS Field Internship Student Performance Expectations
Ratings should reflect a progression of increasing decision autonomy and confidence
The student should:
Manifest skill competence
Psychomotor
Cognitive
Did the student know what to do with a decompensated COPD patient, for example?
Begin to take charge of most ALS calls
Increasingly critical patients
Cardiac arrests
Multi-system trauma
Outcome goal for Field Internship
The form summary should indicate consistent ratings as a “team leader”

17. Start of Each Shift Students are expected to be on time
Send the student home if the student:
Arrives late
Is not prepared
Is improperly dressed
Review with the student
How much field and clinical time has been completed?
What phase of field internship?
Determine the student’s perceptions of their abilities
Find out any issues or concern that student may have
Try to discuss and focus on possible solutions
Clearly convey your expectations to the student!

18. Equipment & Protocols
Make sure the student understands what is expected
Tour service area & receiving hospitals or departments, if necessary
Review daily routine/responsibilities
Review equipment check & department or ambulance layout

19. Problem Resolution
The lines of communication begin at the level of the student & preceptor
If an issue cannot be resolved, the Department of EMS clinical coordinator should be contacted at or
UAMS Paramedic Program Medical Director
Dr. Gregory Hall

20. Providing Feedback Types of feedback: Positive or correctional
Positive reinforcement
Qualities of feedback
Tips for less stressful feedback
Post-incident feedback

21. Types of Feedback Positive / Correctional:
Correctional feedback that is given in a positive manner
Identifies areas of performance that require improvement or an area in which the student must change their behavior
Example: Reminding a student of the importance of auscultating lung sounds after placement of an ET tube or reminding them to use end-tidal CO2 monitoring

22. Types of Feedback Positive reinforcement: Encourages desired behavior
Helps build self-confidence
Example: Say to the student, “your calm & confident behavior really helped to relax the patient while you performed the procedure. You did a very good job.”

23. Qualities of Feedback Timely manner:
Feedback should be provided as soon as possible after performance
Private:
Constructive criticism is always done in private.
Positive reinforcement can be done in private or
In front of others, depending on the personality of
the person receiving the reinforcement

24. Qualities of Feedback Objective: Direct:
Always directed at the person for whom it was intended
Constructive criticism should be conducted in private
In some situations, there may be no time.
Be as direct to the student as possible.
But at the same time, it should be difficult for those not involved to notice
Objective:
Your feedback should be conducted without any bias to race, gender, ethnic origin, sexual preference, or creed

25. Qualities of Feedback Clarity is important
Is your message clear and specific?
Feedback should provide information the student can apply to improve patient care

26. Correctional Feedback
Can be unpleasant, but must not be avoided
Needs to be timely & specific
Vague feedback
Will not give the student a pathway for performance improvement

27. Providing Correctional Feedback
Ask the student what he/she thinks went well or wrong with the call
Talk about the positive aspects
Provide reinforcement for things that the student did correctly
Identify the weak areas of the call
Provide correctional feedback

28. Correctional Feedback (continued)
End the run or patient review with a summary of the positive aspects and tips for student improvement
Most people are more receptive to constructive criticism if positive feedback was provided first
A good example would be a student with good assessment skills but poor IV technique

29. What Do I Look For As A Preceptor?
Look for students with the:
Ability to communicate clearly with patients
Ability to manage the scene efficiently
Ability to complete a thorough patient assessment
Ability to identify a patient’s chief complaint
Ability to formulate and provide appropriate treatment strategies at their level of training
Ability to provide clear direction & leadership for other rescuers on the scene

30. Evaluation of the EMS Student during Patient Assessment
During the actual patient assessment:
Allow the student to complete their assessment before intervening
To ask questions the student failed to cover
Do not let the student do harm
Make mental notes about what they did right and how they could improve their assessments.

31. Evaluation of the EMS Student during Patient Assessment
Be positive, but honest
Remember that the patient is an audience to the process
Note weaknesses in skill competencies
Do not let the student do harm

32. Filling out the Forms
Your comments are read and are very important to us!
Verify with your signature

33. Preceptor Feedback Student ratings of preceptors
Preceptor ratings of students compared to other preceptors

34. Bloodborne Pathogen Exposures
Contact the Department of EMS at
and ask to speak to one of the faculty members
General rule
Fill out the UAMS Employee/Student/Visitor Injury and Incident Report form in the preceptor manual
You can make a photocopy
On weekdays during normal office hours
The student needs to go to UAMS Student/Employee Health immediately call
Call
On nights and weekends
Send the student to UAMS Emergency Department

35. THANK YOU! It is dedicated preceptors like yourself that allow us
to educate and train quality EMS providers.
Policies and procedures for clinical education can be obtained by referring to the Department of EMS Preceptor Guide located within your department, EMS station or facility educator. You can also access it on-line at
Contact the Department of EMS clinical coordinator: or