Clinical trial NCT06998602: Student Paramedics' Experiences of Compassion Fatigue: a Phenomenological Mixed-methods Study
Official title: Student Paramedics' Experiences of Compassion Fatigue: a Phenomenological Mixed-methods Study
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Conditions: Compassion Fatigue
Burnout
Paramedical Professional
Occupational Stress
Keywords: Compassion Fatigue
Burnout
Secondary Traumatic Stress
Paramedic Students
Qualitative Research
ProQOL
Phenomenology
Lead sponsor: Teesside University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2025-05-31
Enrollment: 7
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 65
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Observational model: OTHER
Time perspective: CROSS_SECTIONAL
Sampling method: NON_PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: Student paramedics enrolled in the BSc (Hons) Paramedic Practice programme at the target University, a higher education institution located in Middlesbrough, UK. Participants were recruited from across multiple year groups, including apprentices, using purposive sampling.

Brief summary: This study explored how student paramedics experience compassion fatigue - a type of emotional and physical exhaustion that can occur when regularly caring for others in distress. The researchers wanted to understand how student paramedics feel about compassion fatigue, how it affects their work, and what kind of support might help them cope.

To do this, a group of student paramedics were interviewed about their personal experiences and also asked to complete a short questionnaire called the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL). This questionnaire measured their levels of compassion satisfaction (positive feelings from helping others), burnout (emotional exhaustion), and secondary traumatic stress (stress from exposure to others' trauma).

Detailed description: This was a non-interventional, observational, mixed-methods study that used a phenomenological approach to explore student paramedics' experiences and perceptions of compassion fatigue (CF). The study aimed to identify how CF manifests during training, how it affects clinical practice, and which forms of support students believe would be helpful in preventing or managing CF.

Participants were recruited from the BSc (Hons) Paramedic Practice programme at UK University, using purposive, non-probability sampling. Data collection involved two components:

1. Semi-structured interviews conducted online via Microsoft Teams to explore participants' lived experiences.
2. Completion of the Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) questionnaire, which measured Compassion Satisfaction, Burnout, and Secondary Traumatic Stress.

Interview transcripts were analysed thematically using Braun and Clarke's six-step framework. The ProQOL data were analysed using descriptive statistics and inferential comparisons using both Frequentist and Bayesian analysis, using JASP software. The target sample size was between 3-10. Seven participants completed the study.

Eligible participants were contacted via email by the designated gatekeeper, the course leader. The email outlined that, as student paramedics who had attended clinical placement as part of their course, they were eligible to take part in the study. The email invited them to read the participant information sheet and contact the primary researcher with any questions. Those interested in participating were asked to get in touch to organise receipt of the informed consent form.

Following initial contact, the primary researcher corresponded with interested participants via email to arrange a suitable date and time for the interview. Depending on participant preference, interviews were conducted either on campus or via Microsoft Teams.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Participants will be eligible if they are a current Student Paramedic, studying at target University and have attended clinical placement.

Exclusion Criteria:

* There is no exclusion criteria other than mental capacity.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Themes related to student paramedics' experiences of compassion fatigue
timeFrame: Interviews were completed at a single time point, depending on when the voluntary participant joined the study (between the 19th November 2024 and 13th December 2024).
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Compassion Satisfaction score (ProQOL)
timeFrame: The questionnaire was completed at a single time point, depending on when the voluntary participant joined the study, post-interview (between the 19th November 2024 and 13th December 2024).
measure: Burnout score (ProQOL)
timeFrame: The questionnaire was completed at a single time point, depending on when the voluntary participant joined the study, post-interview (between the 19th November 2024 and 13th December 2024).
measure: Secondary Traumatic Stress score (ProQOL)
timeFrame: The questionnaire was completed at a single time point, depending on when the voluntary participant joined the study, post-interview (between the 19th November 2024 and 13th December 2024).
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Middlesbrough
country: United Kingdom
facility: Teesside University
Study officials:
References: