Paraprofessional is a title given to individuals in various occupational fields, such as education, librarianship, healthcare, engineering, and law. Historically, paraprofessionals assisted the master professional of their field. In more recent times, paraprofessionals have become a professional in their own right, providing services which meet the needs of a particular recipient or community.

Definition

The

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"para-" indicates ''beside'' or ''side by side'' (as in "parallel"); hence, a paraprofessional is one who works ''alongside'' a professional, while being a professional themselves.

Examples

Paramedic A paramedic is a healthcare professional trained in the medical model, whose main role has historically been to respond to emergency calls for medical help outside of a hospital. Paramedics work as part of the emergency medical services (EMS), ...

s in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa who autonomously practice paramedicine. Paramedics historically practised under the medical direction of physicians in these jurisdictions. With a lack of qualified physicians to practice in the field, paramedics themselves became responsible for

emergency medical services Emergency medical services (EMS), also known as ambulance services, pre-hospital care or paramedic services, are emergency services that provide urgent pre-hospital treatment and stabilisation for serious illness and injuries and transport to d ...

in the pre-hospital setting. Paramedics, although now distinct provider, continue to rely on the research of emergency

medicine Medicine is the science and Praxis (process), practice of caring for patients, managing the Medical diagnosis, diagnosis, prognosis, Preventive medicine, prevention, therapy, treatment, Palliative care, palliation of their injury or disease, ...

which informs and contributes to their own unique practice. Paralegals in the Province of Ontario who are licensed by the

Law Society of Upper Canada The Law Society of Ontario (LSO; ) is the law society responsible for the self-regulation of lawyers and paralegals in the Canadian province of Ontario. Founded in 1797 as the Law Society of Upper Canada (LSUC; ), its name was changed by statu ...

to provide independent legal services to clients and the court. Paralegals, although now distinct providers, continue to rely on the research of law which informs and contributes to their own unique practice.

Practice

The paraprofessional is able to perform tasks requiring significant knowledge in the field, and may even function independently of direct professional supervision. It is generally understood that paraprofessionals are the next most qualified professional after the master professional in their field. For example, physicians are allowed more independence than physician assistants; however physician assistants are more qualified than paramedics. Lawyers are allowed more independence than paralegals; however paralegals are more qualified than other legal professionals.

Education

Some paraprofessional occupations require extensive education, testing and certification, especially in the areas of law and health. Others paraprofessionals require only a certain level of education or acquire education outside the professional norm, such as in librarianship. In some occupations, such as that of a paraeducator or paralibrarian, requirements for education and certification differ geographically.

Historical role

Paraprofessionals were historically needed in the 1980s to assist during a shortage of professionally trained social welfare personnel. This aided in the widespread employment of the profession.Brawley, E. A., & Schindler, R. (1986). Paraprofessional social welfare personnel in international perspective: results of a worldwide survey. International Social Work, 29(2), 165–176. Paraprofessionals have been proven to aid in crisis intervention at hospitals. Being able to assist more patients in a timely manner has beneficial long-term effects on those in need of medical attention. In the 1970s, New York utilized paraprofessionals in community mental health communities providing contributions deemed essential by professionals. Paraprofessionals are often used in times of need on the front lines of social welfare; some have limited or no training for their jobs, which raises the question of whether they are interim or needed long-term. Paraprofessionals are mainly employed in: teaching, social work, and counseling. The variety of tasks performed by a paraprofessional can be broad, ranging from routine maintenance to simple surgical procedures adding to the beneficial impact the profession can have on vast areas. Paraprofessionals are usually limited in schools, working in resource management, but when given the opportunity they can help students greatly through monitoring and tutoring. Despite being promoted in fields, paraprofessionals perform low-status function and occupy "the lowest level in the professional caste system" because of their informal or basic training. Paraprofessionals often deal with conflict in directions given, lower relational power dynamics, and less monetary satisfaction. Even after being hired, it is important that a paraprofessional continue their education to further their professional knowledge, skills and for job promotions.Tucker, R.C., & Tucker, L.M. (2007). The role of paraprofessionals: An administrative dilemma. ''Administration in mental health, 3'', 114-124.

References