• Madison K Rivard, Rebecca E Cash, Kiersten C Woodyard, Remle P Crowe, and Ashish R Panchal.
• National Registry of EMTs, 6610 Busch Blvd., Columbus, OH 43229, USA. Tel 614-888-4484 x173. rivard.18@osu.edu.
• J Allied Health. 2020 Jan 1; 49 (1): 53-59.

BackgroundRetention in emergency medical services (EMS) is a concern. To evaluate workforce stability within EMS, it is critical to understand factors that may lead an emergency medical technician (EMT) or paramedic to leave the profession.ObjectiveWe compared the most important factors influencing an EMT or paramedic's decision to leave EMS and determined whether these factors differed between the two certification levels.MethodsWe performed a cross-sectional analysis of an electronic questionnaire deployed to EMTs and paramedics who did not renew National EMS Certification in 2017 and were no longer working in EMS. Chi-squared tests with Bonferroni adjustment were used to compare factors between the two groups.ResultsOf the 5,093 responses, 53.1% (n=2,703) were no longer practicing in EMS and were included in the analyses. The most important factor for leaving EMS was pursuing education for EMTs (20.6%) and seeking better pay/benefits for paramedics (19.6%). Excluding those considering retirement, 32.4% of EMTs and 16.4% of paramedics (p<0.001) stated an intention to return to EMS.ConclusionEMTs and paramedics leave EMS for different reasons, and fewer paramedics reported an intention to return. The need for better pay and benefits and lack of career advancement opportunity were common themes.

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