For most of this past year, the International Flight Paramedics Association, in cooperation with Omaha, Nebraska-based Creighton University, has teamed together for the creation of a Role Delineation Study to evaluate paramedics working in the critical care transport setting.  This is the first of a series of studies scheduled to be mailed February 2008, to selected paramedics throughout the country.  This study will seek feedback on the role and duties required of the critical care transport paramedic and will build on previous studies performed in the critical care transport environment.

In working with the leading researchers at Creighton University, the IAFP has determined the statistically significant number of paramedics – from all 50 states – needed to participate in this endeavor.

The results of this Role Delineation Study will be presented by the IAFP and Creighton University during the Air Medical Transport Conference, scheduled for October 20-22, 2008, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  Specific information related to the time and location of this presentation will be posted on this web site by mid-summer.

Thank you all in advance for your interest in this process.  Please address any questions, suggestions, or concerns to [email protected]

Q: What is a survey?

A:  A survey is used to describe the frequency of certain characteristics among groups or an entire population. Information is collected by using a survey tool. Data collected from part of a population or group is then used to make generalizations of the whole.

Q: Why survey?

A: Research begins with speculations and then questions such as:

How often?

Is there a pattern?

Why?

What are the conditions of occurrence?

A survey tool gathers data to help answer these questions.

Q: Why do the surveys only go to a limited number of paramedics and not to everyone?

A:  In research, one of the primary steps is to identify the target population. Then surveyors must find a way to make the target population operational and useable in practical way. For example, exit polls do not ask every voter in the country how they voted. It would not be feasible. Large surveys take time, money and personnel. For CNN researchers to make the 6:00 PM news, samples are taken. A good sample survey that represents the whole allows researchers to get good picture of what is going on.

Believe it or not, sampling may give more accurate information than collecting data from the whole population. The key is to ensure through random sampling that the sample adequately represents the population or the whole.

Q: How does random sampling work?

A:  Through statistical tools, a group is selected that represents the entire population. Steps are taken to ensure that all elements of the group have an equal chance of being selected. Surveyors cannot just haphazardly pick, so mechanical or electronic aids are used to ensure a random selection. Random sampling helps to ensures several things—one of which is to remove investigator bias.

Q: Why is the survey being mailed?

A:  Surveys such as the National Paramedic Survey are officially called “self-administered mailed questions.” The advantages of this type of survey are many. The survey can be done at home or when convenient. It takes no training or travel time of staff and costs of the survey are kept down.