Investigation of Paramedic Candidates’ Problem Solving Skills and Attitudes towards Internet Usage

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the problem solving skills of paramedic candidates and their attitudes towards Internet usage, as well as, to determine the factors associated with problem solving skills. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 279 students who attended the Ambulance and First Aid Care Techniquere program at a school in the center of Ankara. Data were collected using a questionnaire, the Problem Solving Inventory (PSI), and the Attitude Scale Towards Internet Usage (ASIU). The Kolmogrov-Smirnov test, descriptive analysis, the Student t-test, analysis of correlation, and reliability analysis were used to analyze the data. Results: The mean age of the study group was 18.7±0.9 years and all participants were male. The mean PSI total score was 93.9±20.7, and the mean ASIU total score was 3.39±0.60. The mean PSI scores were correlated with age, academic achievement ranking, and the ASIU total score (p<0.05). The mean PSI scores were statistically significantly different for different class levels (t= 2.642; p=0.009). Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrate that the problem solving skills of paramedic candidates and their attitudes towards Internet usage should be improved. Educators should be aware of the factors associated with problem solving skills.