Guest Editorial

Abstract

It is with great anticipation and excitement that we launch the first edition of the Irish Journal of Paramedicine.  The Irish College of Paramedics (ICoP) are sincerely grateful to the Editor, Mr. Alan Batt, for this initiative and for his invitation to participate in this, the first Irish journal for national and international pre-hospital practitioners.               The Irish College of Paramedics, like our regulatory body the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC), has identified research in pre-hospital care as a central and important objective.  In furthering our role as a professional body ICoP believe research by pre-hospital practitioners is essential to developing the profession.  Like many other healthcare professions, paramedicine needs to develop a culture of research to contribute to the improvements in guidelines, culture, ethics and practice so as to impact positively on our patients whilst promoting this evolving profession. Research in the pre-hospital arena is sparse and there is an immediate need to contribute to this important field.  This past decade has seen some improvement in the amount of reputable journals focused on pre-hospital care exclusively and these are very much welcomed.  Indeed these journals, to their credit, encourage submissions from paramedics and other pre-hospital practitioners, students and related faculty. The Australasian Journal of Paramedicine has really set the standard and paramedic profession has benefitted from their innovative approach to publishing.  This model allows contributions from those practitioners interested in publishing, some for the first time.  The net benefit is a varied and interesting cross section of literature from many core and peripheral fields of paramedicine. The Irish Journal of Paramedicine will have a similar ethos and I know the entire approach has the ability to contribute positively to our profession.  The fact too that this journal is ‘open access’ will also allow for minimal restriction of articles and maximum exposure to authors.  I am honoured to be part of the editorial team whilst amazed at the international mix of experience in this team. I hope the launch of the Irish Journal of Paramedicine will encourage all those members of our community interested in publishing to contribute through direct submission and that we all support this outstanding initiative. A journal dedicated to promoting and advancing the science of pre-hospital care and all things related, has the full support of the Irish College of Paramedics.  We are delighted to make the Irish Journal of Paramedicine the official journal of the Irish College of Paramedics and we wish Alan and the entire team all the very best. Thank you Alan. Shane Knox PhD MSc HDip AssocCIPD Cert.Mgt MCPara President of the Irish College of Paramedics