TORONTO – A Canadian-led study finds that more than two-thirds of paramedics have experienced verbal, physical or sexual abuse on the job.
Emergency Medical Service workers in Ontario and Nova Scotia were invited to take part in the study while attending a continuing education seminar this year, and 90 per cent responded.
More than 1,300 paramedics were asked if they had directly been the victims of various forms of violence within the previous 12 months.
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Verbal abuse was the most commonly reported among 67.4 per cent EMS workers surveyed, while intimidation was reported by 41.5 per cent of respondents.
Some 26.1 per cent polled reported being physically abused, 13.6 per cent reported sexual harassment, and 2.7 per cent reported sexual assault.
Of the 1,381 paramedics polled, 70 per cent were male with a median age of 34 and 10 years experience in EMS.
The study was led by paramedic Blair Bigham who is also an associate scientist at Rescu based at Toronto’s St. Michael’s Hospital.
The research is published in the January issue of Prehospital Emergency Care.
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