Canadian paramedics facing crisis of violence on the job

Paramedics on the frontlines are facing a hidden crisis while providing life-saving care in some of the most dangerous and chaotic situations.

Now, researchers at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ont., are finally nearing understanding the scope, with a first-of-its-kind national survey set to be rolled out in January.

Marc-Andre Périard, vice president of the Paramedic Chiefs of Canada, has been in the field for more than 30 years and says he started to witness violence on day one.

“We’ve seen paramedics getting pushed, spit on, scratched, kicked, bit even sometimes. And there’s been some incidents with weapons towards paramedics. And unfortunately, there’s also incidents of sexual harassment, sexual assault. And this can come from the patients themselves, the family or friends of patients, sometimes bystanders that are on the scene, and, unfortunately, sometimes even colleagues,” Périard explained.

He estimates that 100 per cent of paramedics have been exposed to some kind of violence throughout their careers.

Despite the alarming frequency of these incidents, violence against paramedics has been underreported for years. A mix of factors: fear of reprisal; non-injury; lack of support; and the misconception that it’s ‘just part of the job,’ Périard says, leads paramedics to keep quiet.

The study, led by Dr. Renée MacPhee at Wilfrid Laurier University, will involve surveys and personal interviews with paramedics and their families.

It aims to shed light on the scale of the problem and help improve safety measures for paramedics.

“Acts of violence jeopardize the quality of patient care, and it impacts, obviously, family life, mental health, sleep difficulties,” Périard explained.

“So this is a research study, and it’ll be something that has never happened nationally. And we’re looking forward to the results so we can make better working conditions for our paramedics.”

He says he hopes the eventual results of the study will help bring wider awareness to the issue.

“The public doesn’t know how frequently our paramedics are exposed to violence and are put in dangerous situations. So the more we can get that topic out there, and at least public awareness will grow, well, I might make some safer working conditions for our paramedics.”

It’s not yet known when the findings will be made public.