Stronger Together: New Research Shows Interprofessional Cardiac Arrest Teams Empower Paramedics

A newly published qualitative study in Resuscitation Plus explored how specialist interdisciplinary cardiac arrest teams influence paramedic practice during out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) responses. Drawing on the experiences of NSW Ambulance paramedics working alongside the PRECARE ECPR team, the study found overwhelmingly positive impacts on clinical confidence, teamwork, learning, and professional development.  

Researchers identified five key themes:

• Collaborative care

• Mentorship

• Understanding and development

• Empowerment

• Cause-directed care

Paramedics described how real-time bedside teaching, psychologically safe debriefing, and exposure to advanced resuscitation practices improved both technical and non-technical skills, including leadership, communication, and clinical reasoning. Importantly, the study demonstrated that interdisciplinary physician-paramedic collaboration strengthened paramedic practice rather than diminishing it.  

This is a particularly important finding in the British Columbia context, where a limited few continue to promote the misconception that interprofessional practice is a zero-sum model in which physician involvement somehow reduces paramedic autonomy, expertise, or relevance. This paper provides evidence to the contrary: collaborative systems enhance learning, confidence, and capability across the entire team. The result...better patient outcomes and improved mental health and well-being for paramedics.

For MRBC, this represents one of the less tangible — but deeply important — outcomes we aim to foster: high-performing, psychologically safe, interprofessional systems that strengthen clinicians, improve retention, and ultimately deliver better patient care.