Paramedic (degree) apprenticeships offer an alternative route for learners in England to graduate and register as paramedics with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Despite this being an increasingly common and popular route to obtaining professional registration there is a paucity of evidence examining pre-registration apprenticeships within NHS ambulance services. The aim of this study was to explore support mechanisms available to apprentice paramedics whilst undertaking work-based learning and characteristics that make this support valuable to individuals. The research approach was interpretivist, specifically phenomenology, with data collected from one NHS ambulance service through individual semi-structured interviews (n=17) and focus groups (n=1) between November 2022and April 2024. Data were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA).NHS and university ethics and governance approvals were obtained. Using purposive sampling, 19 participants (11 apprentices and 8 staff who support apprentices) were recruited. Findings highlighted that the support of colleagues and peers should not be underestimated for apprentices, especially given the many challenges and complexities associated with being an apprentice paramedic undertaking work-based learning in an ambulance service setting. Stress and frustration were widely cited as negative effects associated with feeling unsupported as a workbased learner in the ambulance service. Time was a golden thread in the findings of this research and was pertinent in a multitude of ways. Maximising learning could also be achieved through communities of practice, which provide meaningful time for ambulance staff to come together, reflect and learn, fostering a positive learning culture. The main conclusions from the study are that essential that opportunities for learning need to be maximised as much as possible for degree apprentices in the ambulance service and that cultivating learning opportunities for work-based learners is essential to change the perception of an ambulance setting as not only a patient care environment but also a learning environment.
| Date of Award | 29 Jun 2026 |
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| Original language | English |
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| Supervisor | Sara Eastburn (Main Supervisor) & Ann Caress (Co-Supervisor) |
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