Releasing Potential and Presenting Achievement by Michael and Sarah-Jayne

Releasing Potential and Presenting Achievement by Michael and Sarah-Jayne

We both took part in an appreciative inquiry as Student and Institute Representatives and presented our findings at the 5th Annual Employability Conference.  

Detailed Project Report:

'How has the University supported you in achieving your potential? In particular with regard to the PHUEC course?'

The University has supported people in achieving their potential through providing a HCPC approved course, which upon completion, allows you to register as a Paramedic. The PHUEC course at the University of Worcester is unique in comparison to other university Paramedic courses as it allows you to learn skills in the classroom at the beginning of the week and then practice these skills out on placement later on in the same week. This is a different approach to block learning, where you can be out on placement for up to six weeks at a time. The way these placements are delivered in a unique fashion works well because you are in continual contact with the University and West Midlands Ambulance Service, therefore it allows you to become integrated into the service. You also build up a rapport with your peers and can share experiences with one another on a regular basis, which may not be possible if you were on block placements. You also get the opportunity to meet a variety of different Paramedic mentors, so you can experience similar, yet different approaches to how a variety of mentors handle situations.

‘Can you tell me about an occasion when a member of University staff helped you?’

The lecturers at the University are very helpful and will go over and beyond their expectations. A particular time that individuals remember is when the lecturers have put on extra classes during their own time to allow us to practice certain skills in preparation for OSCE’s. This has involved hiring equipment and rooms, which has been kindly prearranged by the tutor in advance.

A few students commented that they had trouble with the allocation of their practice placements and that a certain member of staff took control over the situation and resolved it quickly before it became a problem.

A particular student commented that they did not perform as well as they would have liked to during one of the summative in-class examinations. The tutor allocated their time to put this students mind at ease. They sat down with the student and went through their answers on the test paper. Although the lecturer could not offer an alternative examination, the student commented that they felt reassured by the tutors help and left the tutorial feeling positive and optimistic for the next in-class examination.