Overview Summary of Project
This will be an online survery to explore and understand the influences on paramedic prescribers' decision-making when prescribing antibiotics for acute cough in primary care settings in the UK.
An online questionnaire will be distributed using Jisc Online Surveys. The questionnaire will be completable in 10-15 minutes. It will gather demographic information such as years experience, region of the UK, practice setting, consultation and home visit duration, access to support and supervision. Quantitative data using close-ended questions (e.g. Likert-scale and multiple choice questions) and open-ended questions to allow for greater insight into clinical, non-clinical, organisational influences on antibiotic prescribing for acute cough and views regarding paramedic role in antibiotic stewardship.
Recruitment will take place via social media using Facebook groups (e.g. Prescribing Paramedics UK, Advanced Clinical Practitioner Forum, Paramedics In Primary Care, Primary Care Paramedics). Snowball sampling will be encouraged via professional contacts. Participation will be voluntary, unpaid, and withdrawal will be possible at all stages.
Quantitative data will be analysed using descriptive statistics. Thematic analysis will be employed to summarise data from open-ended questions.
The study will provide insights into paramedic prescribing behaviour. Findings may inform future training, antibiotic stewardship strategies, and policy developments.
Questions
What are factors i1. What are clinical, social, and contextual factors that influence UK primary care paramedic prescribing decisions for acute cough in persons 16 years and older who do not have risk factors for severe infection? 2. What are paramedic prescribers' views on their role in antimicrobial stewardship and challenges they face in practice? 3. How do the survey findings compare findings with existing data on antibiotic prescribing behaviours from other prescriber groups (i.e. GP and nurses) as reported in the literature?
