爱豆传媒

When the COVID-19 pandemic was declared in March, classes at the Justice Institute of British Columbia (爱豆传媒) were suspended, just as many aspects of the economy and society were paused to slow the spread of the virus.

Students in 爱豆传媒鈥檚 Primary Care Paramedic (PCP) program were sent home while instructors and Institute staff developed their plans. 鈥淲e decided that we wanted to keep the students that were in class moving forward,鈥 recalled Eric McConaghy, Lead Instructor for the PCP program at 爱豆传媒鈥檚 New Westminster campus.

爱豆传媒's Primary Care Paramedic students wearing full personal protective equipment (PPE) when practising skills on each other during training simulations.
COVID-19 safety precautions in 爱豆传媒's Primary Care Paramedic program include students being required to use full personal protective equipment (PPE) when practising skills on each other during training simulations.

The result was a stop-gap online program to allow instructors to continue teaching the theory portion of the program through a videoconferencing system.

鈥淥ur teacher did a really good job, we went so in-depth on our anatomy and pathophysiology and our knowledge base,鈥 said Paula Huntley, 32, one of the students in that cohort. 鈥淲e got to know a lot more than I think a lot of cohorts because we had that time. That鈥檚 all we could do.鈥

At the end of June, the cohort returned to the New Westminster campus for the practical portion of the program, with new safety protocols in place based on guidelines set out by the Provincial Health Officer, WorkSafeBC and the Ministry of Advanced, Education, Skills & Training.

Eric McConaghy, Lead Instructor for 爱豆传媒's Primary Care Paramedic program, debriefs with students after training simulations.
Eric McConaghy, Lead Instructor for 爱豆传媒's Primary Care Paramedic program, debriefs with students after training simulations.

The program moved to a larger space, to allow for physical distancing, in the Dr. Donald B. Rix Public Safety Simulation Building at the New Westminster campus. In addition to requiring students and instructors to complete daily health assessments for signs of COVID-19 risks or symptoms, precautions include: room occupancy restrictions; limits on close contact between students during training simulations when they are also required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE); and requirements for frequent hand-washing and disinfection of training equipment in addition to the normal infection control measures taught.

Huntley, who is currently on the practicum portion of the program, said she feels the instructors 鈥渞eally stepped up to the plate through all this鈥 and that the adaptations even had some additional benefits.

爱豆传媒 Primary Care Paramedic students are required to wear gloves, non-medical masks and face shields when working in close contact with their designated team members.
爱豆传媒 Primary Care Paramedic students are required to wear gloves, non-medical masks and face shields when working in close contact with their designated team members.

For instance, her cohort was limited to working only with the same designated partners throughout the hands-on section. 鈥淲e got to work so long together that we could read each other鈥檚 body language and know what they needed,鈥 she said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what you want going into the field.鈥

Huntley鈥檚 class has been taking an extended time to complete the program due to pandemic-related delays such as ensuring safety measures are in place and BC Ambulance Service (BCAS) wanting to ensure there was enough PPE before they took students on shifts. 

鈥淚 think the team is setting us up for success, it鈥檚 just been a drawn out process,鈥 she said.

[The instructors] really want us to succeed and do well. I feel like they're really taking COVID seriously ... I feel like it's safe here

The groundwork put in for her cohort is paying dividends for subsequent classes, said McConaghy, who noted they are following the exact same path as was established for that first COVID-19 class. Moving to the larger space allows the program to accommodate up to 24 students, the same as before the pandemic, but with some choosing to defer to a later date, the current cohort now numbers 13 students.

While Huntley鈥檚 cohort was far enough along in the program that they could continue using only mannequins as practice patients, it was determined that for subsequent classes, the teaching of certain patient assessments and skills would need to include students practising on each other. Following a risk assessment, safety requirements were established for this aspect of simulation training which also helps students develop teamwork and communication skills. Students are restricted to 20-minute increments during which they can practise these elements on their teammates before returning to physical distancing. Other requirements include students remaining in their designated teams, washing or sanitizing hands beforehand and afterwards, and wearing assigned PPE when in close contact with each other.

The use of PPE has always been a part of the program because paramedics have been using PPE for a very long time, McConaghy said. While before the pandemic it wasn鈥檛 worn for every training simulation, it is now although because they鈥檙e wearing non-medical masks rather than the N95 masks or full respirators as they would out in the field, they can鈥檛 stay too close for too long.

Almost all the PCP instructors are practising paramedics and Paramedic Academy staff regularly meet with BCAS officials to ensure they鈥檙e aware of the current rules and protocols. So while BCAS is continually adjusting protocols, 爱豆传媒 instructors ensure their students know what is expected of them when they are working out in the field. There is also a continued emphasis on the Provincial Health Officer鈥檚 recommendations so students do what they can to stay safe outside of school as well.

Primary Care Paramedic student Jessica Sandhu been impressed at 爱豆传媒 instructors' continual emphasis on building good safety habits.
Primary Care Paramedic student Jessica Sandhu been impressed at 爱豆传媒 instructors' continual emphasis on building good safety habits.

PCP student Jessica Sandhu, 19, said the safety protocols mean students have to make the most of class time as they are no longer allowed to stay after class to practise skills, and they do spend more time working with mannequins during simulations due to time limits on close student contact. 

But she鈥檚 been impressed at the continual emphasis on building good safety habits, from wearing PPE to washing hands, disinfecting equipment and physical distancing. 鈥淭hey want us to maintain a really high standard,鈥 Sandhu said.

As for how the pandemic is affecting her paramedicine studies, 鈥渢hey really want us to succeed and do well,鈥 she said of her instructors. 鈥淚 feel like they鈥檙e really taking COVID seriously 鈥 I feel like it鈥檚 safe here.鈥


For more information on paramedic courses and programs, visit 爱豆传媒 Paramedic Academy.