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Development, implementation and evaluation of an interprofessional graduate program for nursing-paramedicine double-degree graduates
journal contribution
posted on 2015-11-01, 00:00 authored by Julie ConsidineJulie Considine, T Walker, Debra BerryOver the past decade, several Australian universities have offered a double degree in nursing and paramedicine. Mainstream employment models that facilitate integrated graduate practice in both nursing and paramedicine are currently lacking. The aim of the present study was to detail the development of the Interprofessional Graduate Program (IPG), the industrial and professional issues that required solutions, outcomes from the first pilot IPG group and future directions. The IPG was an 18-month program during which participants rotated between graduate nursing experience in emergency nursing at Northern Health, Melbourne, Australia and graduate paramedic experience with Ambulance Victoria. The first IPG with 10 participants ran from January 2011 to August 2012. A survey completed by nine of the 10 participants in March 2014 showed that all nine participants nominated Ambulance Victoria as their main employer and five participants were working casual shifts in nursing. Alternative graduate programs that span two health disciplines are feasible but hampered by rigid industrial relations structures and professional ideologies. Despite a 'purpose built' graduate program that spanned two disciplines, traditional organisational structures still hamper double-degree graduates using all of skills to full capacity, and force the selection of one dominant profession.
History
Journal
Australian health reviewVolume
39Issue
5Pagination
595 - 599Publisher
CSIRO PublishingLocation
Melbourne, Vic.Publisher DOI
ISSN
0156-5788Language
engPublication classification
C Journal article; C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalCopyright notice
2015, CSIROUsage metrics
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