Scaffolding Diagnostic Reasoning Skills of Emergency Medical Technicians: Cognitive Apprenticeship Emphasized Simulation-Based Instruction

• In Event: Measurement of Reasoning Skills in the Health Professions

Abstract

Diagnostic reasoning skills are vital to EMTs’ competence because treatment decisions could have significant consequences. This study investigated the effects of a simulation-based instructional method that focused on contextualized learning environments and cognitive modeling on the development of EMT students’ diagnostic reasoning skills. Thirty-one EMT-Basic students participated in the study. The results indicated that overall, the simulation group outperformed the traditional group in almost all categories in the ERE exam and final simulation evaluation. Specifically, the simulation group significantly outperformed the traditional group in the cardiology problem solving questions in the ERE exam, and Secondary Assessment in the final simulation evaluation.

Authors

• Woei Hung, University of North Dakota

• Sherman Syverson, FM Ambulance Service