Background Research is challenging in the unpredictable out-of-hospital setting and internationally research capacity and culture in paramedicine has developed slowly. In Ireland significant progress in education and research has been made in recent years and a national research strategy is currently being developed by the statutory regulator, the Pre-hospital Emergency Care Council. This study aims to establish research priorities, resources, process changes and outcome measures to inform the development of the national research strategy in Ireland.
Methods The study design was an online modified Delphi which established the key aspects of the research strategy across three rounds via end-user consensus, set a priori at 70%. Participants were stakeholders involved in pre-hospital care or research in Ireland. The first round questionnaire (n=104 participants) consisted of open-ended questions and the results were coded and developed into themes for subsequent rounds of the Delphi with the second round (n=99) and third round (n=73) comprising closed-ended questions.
Results Staff Wellbeing, Education & Professionalism and Acute Medical Conditions were Research Priority areas which reached consensus. The Key Resources deemed imperative were Education, Staffing and Leadership. Education was a Key Process Change considered imperative to enable future research to occur. Outcome Measures reaching consensus were Patient Outcomes, Practitioner Development, Practitioner Wellbeing, Alternate Pathways, Evidence-based Practice and Staff Satisfaction.
Conclusion The findings align with previous international studies with some key differences. Education has not previously been highlighted to this extent, which may reflect a more recent move to higher education in Ireland than in other jurisdictions. The focus on staff wellbeing may be due to the study timing relative to the COVID-19 pandemic. Limitations include less than optimal engagement from non-paramedic stakeholders. These findings provide a basis for the establishment of the national Irish strategy and may help inform international research policy in paramedicine.