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Developing a Canadian emergency medical services research agenda: a baseline study of stakeholder opinions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 March 2015

Katie N. Dainty ,
Jan L. Jensen ,
Blair L. Bigham ,
Ian E. Blanchard ,
Lawrence H. Brown ,
Alix J.E. Carter ,
Doug Socha  and
Laurie J. Morrison
Katie N. Dainty
Affiliation:
Rescu, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
Jan L. Jensen*
Affiliation:
Emergency Health Services, Division of EMS, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS
Blair L. Bigham
Affiliation:
Rescu, York Region Emergency Medical Services, Sharon, ON
Ian E. Blanchard
Affiliation:
Alberta Health Services EMS, Department of Community Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary AB
Lawrence H. Brown
Affiliation:
School of Public Health, Tropical Medicine and Rehabilitation Sciences, James Cook University, Queensland, Australia
Alix J.E. Carter
Affiliation:
School of Public Health, Tropical Medicine and Rehabilitation Sciences, James Cook University, Queensland, Australia
Doug Socha
Affiliation:
Rescu, Hastings–Quinte EMS, Hastings County, ON
Laurie J. Morrison
Affiliation:
Rescu, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
*
239 Brownlow Avenue, Suite 300, Dartmouth, NS B3B 2B2; [email protected]

Abstract

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Purpose:

This study forms the first phase in the development of the Canadian National EMS Research Agenda. The purpose was to understand the current state of emergency medical services (EMS) research through the barriers and opportunities perceived by key stakeholders in the Canadian system and to identify the recommendations this group had for moving forward.

Methods:

This qualitative study was conducted in the spring of 2011 using one-on-one semistructured telephone interviews. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit a cross section of EMS research stakeholders, representing a breadth of geographic regions and roles. Data were collected until thematic saturation was reached. A constant comparative approach was used to develop a basic coding framework and identify emerging themes.

Results:

Twenty stakeholders were invited to participate, and saturation was reached after 13 interviews. Thematic saturation was used to ensure that the findings were grounded in the data. Four major themes were identified: 1) the need for additional research education within EMS; 2) the importance of creating an infrastructure to support pan-Canadian research collaboration; 3) addressing the complexities of involving EMS providers in research; and 4) considerations for a national research agenda.

Conclusion:

This hypothesis-generating study reveals key areas regarding EMS research in Canada and through the guidance it provides is a first step in the development of a comprehensive national research agenda. Our intention is to collate the identified themes with the results of a larger roundtable discussion and Delphi survey and, in doing so, guide development of a Canadian national EMS research agenda.

Keywords

emergency medical servicesqualitativeresearchresearch agenda
Type
Original Research • Recherche originale
Information
Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine , Volume 15 , Issue 2 , March 2012 , pp. 83 - 89
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians 2013

References

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