title: Exploring the importance of different items as reasons for leaving emergency medical services between fully compensated, partially compensated, and non-compensated/volunteer samples.
abstract: The purpose of our study was to investigate the importance of different items as reasons for leaving the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) profession. An exit survey was returned by three distinct EMS samples: 127 full compensated, 45 partially compensated and 72 non-compensated/volunteer respondents, who rated the importance of 17 different items for affecting their decision to leave EMS. Unfortunately, there were a high percentage of "not applicable" responses for 10 items. We focused on those seven items that had a majority of useable responses across the three samples. Results showed that the desire for better pay and benefits was a more important reason for leaving EMS for the partially compensated versus fully compensated respondents. Perceived lack of advancement opportunity was a more important reason for leaving for the partially compensated and volunteer groups versus the fully compensated group. Study limitations are discussed and suggestions for future research offered.
authors.affiliation: Human Resources Management Department, Fox School of Business, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA. gblau@temple.edu
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Blau
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: Melissa A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bentley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000488:Allied Health Personnel / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002322:Career Mobility; D003657:Decision Making; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010563:Personnel Turnover; D012456:Salaries and Fringe Benefits; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014838:Volunteers; D000078329:Workforce