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Research Publications (Health Sciences)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://ir-dev.dut.ac.za/handle/10321/216

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    Factors predisposing emergency medical technicians to workplace violence: a cross sectional study
    (SAGE Publications, 2024) Khoza, Tshikani Lewis; Sibiya, Maureen Nokuthula; Mshunqane, Nombeko
    Emergency medical technicians (EMT) are at high risk of workplace violence as they often care for patients in uncontrolled and often hostile emergency settings. Gauteng Province, the most populous province in South Africa, caters for 75% of the total population which is dependant on state funded health care. Public sector EMTs' have been robbed with aggravated circumstances, assaulted with intent to do grievous bodily harm, raped and even murdered whilst on duty. Despite this, comprehensive studies investigating the factors that predispose public sector EMTs' to workplace violence in Gauteng Province are lacking. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the factors that predispose public service EMTs' to workplace violence in Gauteng Province. Data were collected using questionnaires. A total of 413 questionnaires were returned by community members of Gauteng who met the inclusion criteria. Descriptive statistics and binomial tests were used to analyze data. The results of this study revealed that workplace violence toward public service EMTs' in Gauteng is attributed to the high rates of crime, the widening gap of inequality, economic deprivation of basic rights to previously disadvantaged communities by government, vulnerability of EMTs' when responding to the ill and injured within low- and middle-income communities and a lack of consequence for disorderly behavior within the communities. An understanding of the community factors that predispose EMTs' to workplace violence may improve the understanding of the phenomenon of workplace violence and developing prevention programs within the communities.
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    The pending loss of advanced life support paramedics in South Africa
    (African Federation for Emergency Medicine, 2012) Govender, Kevin; Grainger, Linda; Naidoo, Raveen; MacDonald, Russell
    Background: In 2008 South Africa (SA) had 1631 registered advanced life support (ALS) paramedics to provide pre-hospital advanced life support care to a population of approxi-mately 50 million. Compared to globally accepted ratios, the number of ALS paramedics in South Africa can be considered as grossly inadequate. This current shortage may be ascribed to migration. However, the extent and nature of this migration, the factors that have contributed to them leaving the country and the existence or effectiveness of implemented strategies that attempt to manage migration of SA ALS paramedic is not known for sure. Methods: The study consisted of a two-phase mixed method descriptive survey. A subset of SA ALS paramedics made up the study population. Quantitative data (Phase One) was obtained from a web-based survey distributed to the accessible population (N = 97). Thereafter, qualitative data (Phase Two) was gathered through in-depth interviews with selected information rich participants (n = 10) also from within the accessible population. Through methodological triangulation, data from Phase One and Phase Two were integrated to obtain an in-depth understanding of South African ALS paramedic migration. In addition, the study investigated whether strategies that attempted to manage migration of SA ALS paramedics existed, and if they did, how effective have they been. Result: Fifty-one of 97 (53%) ALS paramedics responded to the questionnaire in Phase One. Of those, 24 (47.1%) were found to be working inside South Africa, while 27 (52.9%) were working outside South Africa. Working conditions, physical security, and economic considerations were ranked as the top three major factors contributing to the decision or intended decision to migrate. Initiatives to manage the shortage of ALS paramedics in the public sector EMS do exist; however, it appears to be inadequate at its current rate of progress. Conclusion: This study suggests that ALS paramedics in SA are leaving to find work outside the country because of working conditions, physical security, and economic considerations. The current measures to manage migration appear to be ineffective, indicating that new or additional strategies to manage migration of ALS paramedics in SA may be required.