Mr Jason Betson
Senior Lecturer
School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine
Areas of expertise: shift work; sleep; stress; fatigue; paramedicine
Phone: +61 3 9953 3503
Email: Jason.betson@acu.edu.au
Location: ACU Melbourne Campus
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-9883-8586
Jason Betson is a Senior Lecturer for the Bachelor of Paramedicine at the Australian Catholic University, Melbourne campus. Jason completed a Masters research project in 2020; the first quantifiable investigation of sleep and health of graduate paramedics from anywhere in the world.
Jason's continued passion for research saw him commence a PhD study in semester 1 of 2021. In late 2022, he was awarded a FHS Small Equipment Grant of just under $10,000 to purchase specialist equipment for gathering physiological data. In mid-2023 Jason was awarded a further Australasian College of Paramedicine HDR grant of $3,000 to enable collection of saliva samples for markers of stress. And in Sept-2023 he was awarded another FHS Small Equipment Grant of $4,650 to enable the testing of those saliva samples for cortisol levels, a key hormonal marker of acute stress. In mid-2024 Jason received a SoNMP Research Conference Support Grant ($2,046.55) to present at ACPIC24: September 2024, Sydney, Australia.
Jason's contemporary PhD research, supervised by highly experienced experts in the fields of psychology and curriculum development, focused on improving undergraduate paramedicine education by providing avenues for students to appraise high acuity clinical scenarios as a challenge instead of a threat. A scoping review identified that an acceptable level of stress during simulation can be beneficial, but a balance is required as too much stress can hinder learning and lead to underperformance. Jason's research, the first to examine paramedicine students, concluded that cultivating a challenge mindset serves as a powerful buffer against the negative effects of acute stress. Students who appraise high-acuity scenarios as challenges, rather than threats, consistently demonstrate enhanced cognitive performance, more efficient neural activation, and superior clinical outcomes. This protective effect is evident not only in improved clinical results but also in the attenuation of physiological stress markers such as cortisol and HR variability.
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Publications:
- Betson, J, Kirkcaldie, M, Zosky, G & Ross, RM. (2022). Transition to shift work: Sleep patterns, activity levels, and physiological health of early-career paramedics, Sleep Health, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2022.06.001
- Wilkinson-Stokes M, Betson J, Sawyer S. (2022). Adverse events from nitrate administration during right ventricular myocardial infarction: a systematic review and meta-analysis
- BMJ Open, doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-EMS.1
- Wilkinson-Stokes M, Betson J, Sawyer S (2022). Adverse events from nitrate administration during right ventricular myocardial infarction: a systematic review and meta-analysis
- Emergency Medicine Journal Published Online First: 30 September 2022. doi: 10.1136/emermed-2021-212294
Conference papers:
- Betson, J. 'A scoping review: Threat versus challenge appraisal in paramedicine higher education.' Poster presentation - ACPIC22: October 2022, Brisbane, Australia.
- Betson, J. Transition to shift work: Sleep patterns, activity levels and physiological health of early-career paramedics. Oral presentation - Inaugural Canadian Paramedicine Research Day: May 2022, Virtual.
- Betson, J. Adaptation to shift work by Graduate Paramedics in Victoria. Oral presentation - EMS Conferences Australia: August 2019, Bali, Indonesia.
- Betson, J, Kirkcaldie, M, Edwards, D & Dwyer, RM. Sleep Patterns and Physiological markers of stress in Graduate Paramedics. Poster presentation - UTAS Research Week: September 2015, UTAS Hobart Campus.
Accolades and Awards
- Awarded a 2016 ACU Teaching Development Grant ($6000). This funded a project titled "The quality of sleep in final year Paramedicine students" via a competitive application process. This project allowed final year students to develop an understanding their quality and quantity of sleep and establish mechanisms to improve the sleep in preparation for shift work.
- Awarded a 2015 UTAS School of Medicine Research Committee Research Development Grant ($5000) via a competitive application process. This funded a project title "Sleep Patterns and Physiological markers of stress in Graduate Paramedics" which has since gone on to be the basis for my Masters research.
Appointments and Affiliations
- Registered Paramedic with AHPRA. Registration number: PAR0002208372
- Member: Australasian College of Paramedicine (ACP)
- Fellow: Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
