Paramedic educational program attrition accounts for significant loss of potential EMS workforce
Abstract Objective Recent concerns for the strength and stability of the emergency medical services (EMS) workforce have fueled interest in enhancing the entry of EMS clinicians into the workforce. However, the educational challenges associated with workforce entry remain unclear. Our objective was...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians Open |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/emp2.12917 |
| _version_ | 1797843444570259456 |
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| author | Matthew Ball Jonathan R. Powell Christopher B. Gage Katelynn A. Kapalo Jordan D. Kurth Lisa Collard Michael G. Miller Ashish R. Panchal |
| author_facet | Matthew Ball Jonathan R. Powell Christopher B. Gage Katelynn A. Kapalo Jordan D. Kurth Lisa Collard Michael G. Miller Ashish R. Panchal |
| author_sort | Matthew Ball |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Objective Recent concerns for the strength and stability of the emergency medical services (EMS) workforce have fueled interest in enhancing the entry of EMS clinicians into the workforce. However, the educational challenges associated with workforce entry remain unclear. Our objective was to evaluate the educational pathway of entry into the EMS workforce and to identify factors that lead to the loss of potential EMS clinicians. Methods This is a cross‐sectional evaluation of all US paramedic educational programs, with enrolled students, in the 2019 Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the EMS Professions annual report survey. This data set includes detailed program characteristics and metrics including program attrition rate (leaving before completion), and certifying exam pass rates. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the association between high program attrition rates (>30%) and program specific characteristics. Results In 2019, 640 accredited programs met inclusion with 17,457 students enrolled in paramedic educational programs. Of these, 13,884 students successfully graduated (lost to attrition, 3,573/17,457 [21%]) and 12,002 passed the certifying exam on the third attempt (lost to unable to certify, 1,882/17,457 [11%]). High program attrition rates were associated with longer programs (>12 months), small class sizes (<12 students), and regional locations. Conclusions Nearly 1 in 3 paramedic students were lost from the potentially available workforce either owing to attrition during the educational program or failure to certify after course completion. Attrition represented the largest loss, providing an avenue for future targeted research and interventions to improve EMS workforce stability. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:05:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-69547e858cdd48ac8d830e7e4c6191a6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2688-1152 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:05:22Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians Open |
| spelling | doaj.art-69547e858cdd48ac8d830e7e4c6191a62023-04-20T18:18:31ZengWileyJournal of the American College of Emergency Physicians Open2688-11522023-04-0142n/an/a10.1002/emp2.12917Paramedic educational program attrition accounts for significant loss of potential EMS workforceMatthew Ball0Jonathan R. Powell1Christopher B. Gage2Katelynn A. Kapalo3Jordan D. Kurth4Lisa Collard5Michael G. Miller6Ashish R. Panchal7Department of Emergency Medicine Henry Ford Hospital Detroit Michigan USANational Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians Columbus Ohio USANational Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians Columbus Ohio USANational Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians Columbus Ohio USANational Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians Columbus Ohio USACommittee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions Rowlett Texas USACommittee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions Rowlett Texas USANational Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians Columbus Ohio USAAbstract Objective Recent concerns for the strength and stability of the emergency medical services (EMS) workforce have fueled interest in enhancing the entry of EMS clinicians into the workforce. However, the educational challenges associated with workforce entry remain unclear. Our objective was to evaluate the educational pathway of entry into the EMS workforce and to identify factors that lead to the loss of potential EMS clinicians. Methods This is a cross‐sectional evaluation of all US paramedic educational programs, with enrolled students, in the 2019 Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the EMS Professions annual report survey. This data set includes detailed program characteristics and metrics including program attrition rate (leaving before completion), and certifying exam pass rates. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the association between high program attrition rates (>30%) and program specific characteristics. Results In 2019, 640 accredited programs met inclusion with 17,457 students enrolled in paramedic educational programs. Of these, 13,884 students successfully graduated (lost to attrition, 3,573/17,457 [21%]) and 12,002 passed the certifying exam on the third attempt (lost to unable to certify, 1,882/17,457 [11%]). High program attrition rates were associated with longer programs (>12 months), small class sizes (<12 students), and regional locations. Conclusions Nearly 1 in 3 paramedic students were lost from the potentially available workforce either owing to attrition during the educational program or failure to certify after course completion. Attrition represented the largest loss, providing an avenue for future targeted research and interventions to improve EMS workforce stability.https://doi.org/10.1002/emp2.12917attritioncertificationemergency medical servicesparamedic educationworkforce |
| spellingShingle | Matthew Ball Jonathan R. Powell Christopher B. Gage Katelynn A. Kapalo Jordan D. Kurth Lisa Collard Michael G. Miller Ashish R. Panchal Paramedic educational program attrition accounts for significant loss of potential EMS workforce Journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians Open attrition certification emergency medical services paramedic education workforce |
| title | Paramedic educational program attrition accounts for significant loss of potential EMS workforce |
| title_full | Paramedic educational program attrition accounts for significant loss of potential EMS workforce |
| title_fullStr | Paramedic educational program attrition accounts for significant loss of potential EMS workforce |
| title_full_unstemmed | Paramedic educational program attrition accounts for significant loss of potential EMS workforce |
| title_short | Paramedic educational program attrition accounts for significant loss of potential EMS workforce |
| title_sort | paramedic educational program attrition accounts for significant loss of potential ems workforce |
| topic | attrition certification emergency medical services paramedic education workforce |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/emp2.12917 |
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