Teaching improvement science to paramedicine students: protocol for a systematic scoping review

Background: It is now more important than ever to equip paramedic students, the likely future managers and leaders of ambulance services, with the knowledge and skills of improvement science. Effective teaching requires a range of teaching methods that will engage students actively in learning. Although the array and effectiveness of methods used for teaching improvement science to clinicians and healthcare students has been systematically reviewed, the evidence regarding the specific sub-group of paramedicine students has yet to be fully explored and synthesized in the literature. The aim of this scoping review is to systematically explore and critically appraise the current state of evidence regarding strategies to teach improvement science to paramedicine students. Methods: A number of electronic databases (i.e., PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, Scopus, and ERIC) and gray literature (i.e., ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, Open Thesis, and Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations) will be searched for published and unpublished evidence regarding teaching improvement science to paramedicine students. Included studies will undergo narrative synthesis to examine similarities and differences and to identify patterns, themes, and relationships (e.g., how and why certain teaching strategies or methods have worked in achieving desired learning outcomes (or not) and factors that might have influenced this). Discussion: To the knowledge of the authors, this is the first review that will systematically explore and critically appraise the current state of research evidence regarding strategies to teach improvement science specifically to paramedicine students. It is anticipated that the findings of this review will help to inform academics, developers of paramedicine teaching curricula, and researchers who are planning projects in this area.