Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Women’s Participation in Leadership Roles in a Single Canadian Paramedic Service

Version 1 : Received: 3 December 2022 / Approved: 5 December 2022 / Online: 5 December 2022 (02:16:33 CET)
Version 2 : Received: 14 February 2023 / Approved: 15 February 2023 / Online: 15 February 2023 (04:34:52 CET)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Mausz, J.; Salvis, S.; Arseneau-Bruneau, D.; Donnelly, E. Women’s Participation in Leadership Roles in a Single Canadian Paramedic Service. Prehospital Emergency Care 2023, 1–6, doi:10.1080/10903127.2023.2231568. Mausz, J.; Salvis, S.; Arseneau-Bruneau, D.; Donnelly, E. Women’s Participation in Leadership Roles in a Single Canadian Paramedic Service. Prehospital Emergency Care 2023, 1–6, doi:10.1080/10903127.2023.2231568.

Abstract

Introduction Like other public safety professions, paramedicine has historically been a male-dominated occupation, both in the demography of its workforce and in its organizational culture. Although women are increasingly choosing paramedicine as a career, participation in leadership roles remains limited. Drawing on data from a recent comprehensive mental health survey, we describe the proportion of women in leadership in a single, large, urban paramedic service in Ontario, Canada. Methods We distributed an in-person, paper-based survey during the fall 2019 - winter 2020 Continuing Medical Education (CME) sessions. Participating paramedics completed a demographic questionnaire alongside a battery of mental health screening tools. We assessed the demography of the workforce and explored differences in employment classification, provider level (e.g., primary vs. advanced care), and participation in formal leadership roles along self-reported gender lines. Results Out of 607 paramedics attending CME, we received 600 completed surveys, with 11 excluded for missing data, leaving 589 for analysis and a 97% response rate. Women comprised 40% of the active-duty paramedic workforce, with an average of 8 years of experience. Compared to men, women were more than twice as likely to have a university degree (Odds Ratio [OR] 2.02), but almost half as likely to practice at the Advanced Care Paramedic level (OR 0.61), and somewhat less likely to be employed full-time (OR 0.77). Women were nearly 70% less likely to hold a leadership role in the service compared to men (OR 0.36), occupying just 20% of leadership positions. Conclusion Although paramedicine is witnessing an encouraging shift in the demography of its workforce with greater participation from women, there is still work to be done, particularly in leadership. Future research should focus on identifying and ameliorating barriers to career advancement among women and other historically underrepresented people.

Keywords

Emergency Medical Services; paramedics; gender; diversity

Subject

Social Sciences, Sociology

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