Exploring Paramedicine Models of Care: A Novel Macro Analysis Using the RESPIGHT Framework

Objective: To evaluate the alignment of undergraduate paramedicine curricula in Australia with the RESPIGHT model, focusing on diverse aspects such as emergency response, community engagement and governance.

Design: Deductive thematic analysis was conducted to assess the alignment of curricula from 16 Australian universities with the RESPIGHT framework.

Setting: The study reviewed undergraduate pre-registration paramedicine programmes across Australian universities.

Participants: The study included a comprehensive analysis of curricula from 16 universities offering undergraduate paramedicine programmes.

Main outcome measure: The degree of alignment of paramedicine curricula with the RESPIGHT categories: emergency response, community engagement, situated practice, primary healthcare, integration with health services, governance, leadership and treatment and transport.

Results: The analysis revealed varying degrees of alignment across the RESPIGHT categories, with notable discrepancies in areas such as community engagement and governance. Some universities demonstrated strong alignment in emergency response and treatment, while others showed weaker integration with primary healthcare and community engagement.

Conclusion: The study highlights significant disparities in the preparedness of paramedicine students for the broad scope of practice required in modern healthcare. The findings underscore the need for curriculum reform to better prepare students for community care models and the evolving healthcare landscape, ensuring a more comprehensive and integrated approach to paramedicine education in Australia.