A feasibility analysis of migrating emergency care providers to the new emergency care qualifications in the Capricorn District in Limpopo, South Africa

Abstract

Introduction: Emergency care education and training has historically centred on short courses and on-the-job training, resulting in most emergency care providers lacking formal qualifications. The current legislative changes have restructured emergency care education, introducing a three-tiered qualification system, aligned with international and national standards. These encompass a one-year higher certificate, a two-year diploma, and a four-year professional degree in emergency medical care. Despite these changes, migration to formal emergency care qualifications has never been investigated. This study addresses this knowledge gap by evaluating the feasibility of migrating the existing emergency care providers in Limpopo emergency medical services to the new emergency care qualification structure. Methodology: This study employed a retrospective, quantitative, descriptive design to analyse the feasibility of migrating the existing emergency care providers to the new emergency care qualifications. The study population comprised emergency care providers working for the Limpopo emergency medical services. The total population sampling, a purposive non-probability technique, included all qualified emergency care providers in the Capricorn District in Limpopo. The data collection method used involved extracting relevant documents for the study from employees’ files in the archives storeroom. The data was analysed using the statistical package for social sciences® version 25. Results: A total of 356 (93.68%) participants from a target population of 380 emergency care providers in the Capricorn District, Limpopo emergency medical services, were included in the study. However, 36 participants were excluded due to invalid data as their files did not have matric, identity or emergency care qualification documents. Consequently, the final sample size was 320 (84.21%) participants. Of the 320 participants, two participants were without a matric qualification, bringing about 318 participants in the matric qualification analysis. The findings revealed that most emergency care providers were males 195 (60.94%), with Africans 319 (99.69%) being the predominant racial group. The age distribution revealed that 181 (56.56%) participants fell within the 40 to 49 age range, and the mean age was 45. Regarding emergency care qualifications, the study found that 180 (56.25%) participants held basic ambulance assistant qualification, and 318 (99.37%) participants completed matric. However, many participants lacked the performance levels and subject combinations to enter emergency medical care programmes. A mere 10 (3.14%) passed Mathematics, six (1.89%) passed Physical Science, and 36 (11.32%) participants passed Biology. None of the participants met the criteria for entry into diploma and bachelor's degree programmes. Only three participants met the entry criteria for the higher certificate programme. Conclusion: The study’s findings showed that most of the existing emergency care providers in the Capricorn District do not have the pre-requisite secondary school leaving subjects or the appropriate matric performance levels to enter various emergency medical care programmes. As a result, migration to formal emergency care qualifications through direct access will not be feasible for many of the emergency care providers. The matric results place a substantial number of them in a disadvantaged position.