Violence against paramedics – when will it stop?

Abstract

Welcome to the first issue of the Australasian Journal of Paramedicine for 2016. We start this year’s first editorial with what is making headlines around Australia: acts of violence against paramedics. These unacceptable acts of belligerence and disrespect towards paramedics appear to be on the rise with several reports featuring in prominent media outlets around Australia. (1-3). The disturbing and most disheartening aspect to this surge in violence towards paramedics is that the primary aim of the paramedic is to manage the sick or injured patient in a safe environment. Paramedics are there to help and assist in the event of an emergency, not be on the receiving end of various acts of violence. In due course these acts diminish the job satisfaction, gratification and joy that ambulance paramedics should experience in their employment. Not to mention a safe working environment that everyone has the right to. In 1993 paramedic exposure to workplace violence was first reported by Tintinalli in the scientific literature (4) with the only Australian study into paramedic exposure to workplace violence published in 2007 (5). The study by Boyle et al identified that the main perpetrators of violent acts again paramedics were the patient, the patient’s relative or friend with most of these perpetrators being male (6). The paramedics thought that drugs and/or alcohol were contributing factors to the acts of violence against them (6), this still appears to be true.