Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41344719›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2025

Student paramedic experiences of group-based simulation activities used in assessment: a qualitative UK study.

Rebecca A Colthup, Gavin N Johnson, Rebecca J Jenkins, Jessica Runacres

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Rebecca A ColthupHealth, Education, Policing and Sciences, Staffordshire University, Stoke-on-Trent, UK rebecca.colthup@staffs.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0002-3432-4137
Gavin N JohnsonHealth, Education, Policing and Sciences, Staffordshire University, Stoke-on-Trent, UK.
Rebecca J JenkinsHealth, Education, Policing and Sciences, Staffordshire University, Stoke-on-Trent, UK.
Jessica RunacresHealth, Education, Policing and Sciences, Staffordshire University, Stoke-on-Trent, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThis research aimed to explore student paramedics' experiences of participating in group-based simulation activities used as part of their summative assessment. It sought to understand their perceptions of the effectiveness of group-based simulation in fostering learning and informing future assessment design.

designA qualitative questionnaire-based study.

settingA UK higher education institution.

participantsA total of 34 first-year (level 4) student paramedics from the September 2022 to September 2023 cohorts.

interventionFollowing the completion of a summative assessment for the introduction to non-technical skills and simulation module, students were invited to reflect on their experiences of group-based simulation through an online questionnaire. The assessment incorporated team-based simulation scenarios intended to evaluate non-technical competencies within a realistic and supportive environment.

resultsFour key themes emerged through thematic analysis of the responses: experiential learning; autonomous learning; reflective learning; and support and learning. These themes provide insights into the pedagogical value of group-based simulation, with students identifying both individual and collective benefits in developing non-technical skills within a group assessment framework.

conclusionGroup-based simulation assessments enhance student engagement and promote collaborative decision-making in a context that mimics real paramedic practice. While students often associate realism with increased confidence, their experiences highlight complex interactions between perceived fidelity, assessment pressure and learning. This underscores the need to further investigate how group dynamics and authenticity influence learning outcomes in assessment-focused simulations.

Indexed as

Allied Health PersonnelEducational MeasurementProblem-Based LearningSimulation TrainingAdultClinical CompetenceFemaleHumansMaleParamedicsQualitative ResearchSurveys and QuestionnairesUnited KingdomACCIDENT & EMERGENCY MEDICINEClinical Decision-MakingEducation, MedicalHealth EducationQUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Identifiers

PMID41344719
PMCPMC12684149

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.