The availability of choice and the inability to decline the preceptor role was highlighted by all participants as a concern to them. Participants expressed the belief that there is currently no option given to paramedics in working with a learner, and should the option have been there, some may have declined on one or more occasions. This was summarised by Samantha:
I think a lot of it comes to the people should be asked [my ambulance service] has this problem of just rostering you with someone, or you are [told you are] their preceptor, and a lot of the people don’t want to precept and I think that is the first thing they should do, they need to start communicating more with their preceptors. (Samantha)
Participants reported that they were often not aware of the requirement to be a preceptor until the learner allocated to them arrived at the station. The combination of having no choice in whether to perform the preceptor role, and having no warning of their allocation of learners contributes to negative experiences as explained by Michael:
[Preceptors] tend to get uptight… when they lob up to work and, you know, on that day they find out that they've got either a student or probationer, causes some angst with some people, which is not a good. (Michael)
101 The lack of choice in working with students has a potential subsequent adverse effect on the experiences of the learner. When paramedics do not want to work with learners there can be a negative effect on both the paramedic and the learner, with the
preceptor being subject to lower levels of job satisfaction and potentially leading to a poor learning experience, as Tanya explained:
Some people enjoy it [working with learners], some people don’t and the fact that you generally don’t get a choice if you’re a preceptor or not can have a big impact because some people just aren’t interested which is detrimental to both them and the student because neither of them are going to be happy at work. (Tanya)
Participants highlighted how a lack of choice led to resentment, reflected by Tracey:
We were told everybody has to precept in this service, it is not an option, this is the way we want it done and that is it. So for me that is not enough, I don’t think that it is appropriate. (Tracey)
Tony reinforced the sentiments expressed by Tanya and Tracey, suggesting that not only will some paramedics be uninterested; they may actively resist the role:
Some people feel it is just thrust upon them to be a preceptor. I mean OK if it is a choice, like I want to do the role, you know, I’ll do my best. Whereas I think it is being thrust upon someone… some people might not even care, and not teach them [the learner] anything. (Tony)
What the data does not reflect, and therefore is an area needing further investigation, is what causes this resentment. Is it the lack of choice or the absence of a desire to work with learners? Or perhaps resentment is more situational and affected by other factors that will be analysed in Chapters seven and eight. This lack of willingness has
102 resulted in a view that being a preceptor and working with a learner is simply additional work. Rather than seeing the positives and opportunities associated with the preceptor role, it was sometimes seen as akin to a chore, as Richard explained:
They'll rock up at the station and there's numbers of stations that just resent having trainees. They see them as work. They don't see them as their opportunity to help somebody. They see it as work… So, they disengage. (Richard)
While participants highlighted lack of choice in working with learners as an issue of concern, it was also recognised that there are people that want to perform the role, and who are good at it. Illustrating his own positive outlook, Darren explains;
I like being a preceptor, I know there are good ones and bad ones and the fact that you can’t say it’s not a voluntary sort of a thing. It’s just sort of an expected thing, you get a huge amount of variation in quality of preceptors. (Darren)
Participants were particularly strong on their proposition of a solution to the problems associated with having disinterested or unwilling paramedics working with students, as Charles explained:
Set up preceptor roles… capitalise on people that are going to be good at it… because that in turn is good for the whole organisation. You are picking the best people to do that role and those that will be good that can be trained up to the role should be. (Charles)
However even in those situations where paramedics have indicated their willingness to work with learners, the lack of prior communication was highlighted as a barrier to their willingness on a case by case basis, as Paul described:
103 He came basically without any warning just here you are working with
him, I had told my management that I was interested in doing that sort of work. (Paul)
Whilst the preponderance of evidence in the data pointed towards a lack of choice in, and lack of communication about the allocation of learners to paramedics, Kerrie highlighted that there were local variations in managing the process:
some areas where it is a rostering issue you will just get stuck with a probationer [learner], in other areas, if they are lucky enough to have a boss that gives half a damn, he will ask people if they are interested. (Kerrie)
Participants in this study were consistent in their reports that, with the exception of ad hoc local variation, they were given no choice in whether they would act as a preceptor. Furthermore they reported this lack of communication and consultation extended to occasions where the first they knew of their appointment as a preceptor was the arrival of their learner in the workplace. This lack of consultation was described as an
avoidable cause of negative workplace and potentially learner experiences. It is important that employers recognise the value of effective communication in order to create a positive experience for the preceptor and the learner.