Paramedic Independent Prescribing in Emergency and Urgent Care (NCT06107244) | Clinical Trial Compass
CompletedNot Applicable
Paramedic Independent Prescribing in Emergency and Urgent Care
United Kingdom42 participantsStarted 2023-10-17
Plain-language summary
The goal of this mixed methods observational study is to investigate paramedic independent prescribing (PIP) in emergency and urgent healthcare settings.
The main questions it aims to answer are:
1. What are benefits and limitations of paramedic independent prescribing in emergency and urgent care settings and how does it contribute to patient care and healthcare service delivery?
2. What facilitators and barriers exist which influence the implementation and delivery of PIP as a new and complex intervention within emergency and urgent care?
Participants in the study will include paramedics qualified in PIP and staff working at the case study sites. With participant consent, data will be collected using non-participant observation of the prescribing practice of 4-6 paramedics at each site, capturing this data through field notes. The views and insights of a range of other site staff such as managers, doctors and other clinicians will be interviewed at each case site, during semi structured interviews.
At each case site anonymised prescribing frequency data will also be collected to understand the range and frequencies of prescribed medication by paramedics. Relevant meetings (such as clinical governance and medicines management meetings) will also be observed, and documentary analysis of relevant site documents will also be undertaken.
Who can participate
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion Criteria for Paramedic Prescriber Participants:
* Registered Paramedic
* Completion of an approved IP course and annotated as a PIP with the Health Care Professions Council
* Registered as an independent prescriber with employing Trust and using PIP in emergency and urgent care practice.
* Working in a role which is focused on the assessment of emergency and urgent care presentations. This includes undifferentiated minor and major illness and injury, urgent palliative care cases during out of hours periods and medical emergencies.
Exclusion Criteria for Paramedic Prescribing Participants:
* Paramedics who are not qualified or registered in IP, including those currently undertaking their training
* Paramedics qualified in PIP but not actually independently prescribing in practice
* Prescribing paramedics working in roles that are not associated with emergency and urgent care. This includes pre hospital critical care paramedic roles and those working in areas of secondary care outside of the emergency department. This includes intensive care, critical care, coronary care, ambulatory care or acute medical admission units.
* Paramedics who are dual qualified and dual registered as another profession eg nurse- As this might influence data collection from the potential differences in prescriptive authority allowed from alternative professional registration.
Inclusion Criteria for Case Study Interview Participants:
\- Participants must be an employee of the case study…
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.