Paramedic Research: Principles, Designs and Methods

Research is fundamental in generating evidence to inform best practice. Not only does it drive improvements in patient care, but it also fosters the ongoing advancement of a profession. As the paramedic profession grows, so does the need for robust research.

Paramedic Research: Principles, Designs and Methods harnesses the expertise of over 40 contributors, from across the UK and beyond, each offering a wealth of insight and experience. The result is a practical resource which guides you through the entirety of the research process, from identifying areas needing investigation and designing research questions to data collection, analysis and presenting your findings in a meaningful way.

Context is everything, so this book draws on examples of research undertaken in settings that are familiar to unplanned, urgent and emergency care staff. This allows you to focus on the essential elements of research philosophies, principles and constructs without needing to learn about new healthcare environments.

If you are hoping to master the transformative power of research within the prehospital and emergency care setting, understand its relevance and embrace it as an integral component of clinical practice, then this book is for you.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION 1

1. Introduction: paramedic research: what’s it all about? – Julia Williams and Graham McClelland
2. Why do we need evidence-based practice? – Jamie Scott and Karl Bloomer
3. Making sense of the research process – Kristy Sanderson and Larissa Prothero
4. Clinical audit, quality improvement, service evaluation and innovation: what are they? – Duncan Robertson and Mary Peters
5. Research paradigms – Cheryl Cameron, Adam Greene and Alan M. Batt
6. The role of existing literature in research: searching, retrieving and evaluation – William Broughton and Ian Maconochie
7. Developing research questions: avoiding the ‘so what’ factor – Scott Devenish and Julia Williams

SECTION 2

8. Quantitative research design – Helen Snooks and Christopher Stein
9. Data collection in observational studies – Tim Edwards and Jack Barrett
10. Data collection in experimental studies – Ruth Fisher and Elicia Austin
11. Making sense of quantitative data – John Talbot, Hayley Stagg and Anthony Herbland
12. Qualitative research design – Georgina Murphy-Jones and Joel Symonds
13. Qualitative data collection – Mike Brady and Enrico Dippenaar
14. Making sense of qualitative data – Ursula Rolfe and Alison Porter
15. Mixed methods research design – Gregory A. Whitley and Scott Munro

SECTION 3

16. Ethics and governance in research – Georgette Eaton and Helen Pocock
17. Involving service users in research – Sarah Black and Karl Charlton
18. Health economics: its role in health research – Jamie Miles and Peter McMeekin
19. Sharing research findings – James Yates and Peter Gregory
20. Developing a successful research proposal – Janette Turner and Andy Newton
21. Obtaining research funding: hints and tips – Graham McClelland and Fiona Bell
22. Research careers for paramedics – Kim Kirby and Graham McClelland
23. Conclusion: next steps – Graham McClelland and Julia Williams