EMS System Review - State of New Jersey

State of New Jersey, DHSS, OEMSConsulting Services: EMS System ReviewVIII. EMS WORKFORCEThe workforce is the most important factor in providing effective EMS. It is also thebiggest challenge that faces EMS now and in the foreseeable future. There are social,technological, economic, environmental and political issues that affect the EMS workforce. As inmost northeast states, New Jersey’s diversity of people, geography and industry increases thechallenges of providing a workforce that can meet the current and changing challenges ofproviding EMS.For the purpose of this report, the term “workforce” refers to EMS providers in all areas,of all licensure/certification levels and career or volunteer status. Any issues specific to aparticular segment of the workforce will be specifically noted.The Institute of Medicine report identifies several workforce challenges that are commonto EMS nationwide. These include:• Recruitment and retention of personnel.• A lack of nationwide training requirements leading to a wide range of quality of care.• The dangers of prehospital care including risk of violence, infectious and contagiousdiseases, risk of terrorist incidents and dangers from ambulance crashes.• Low pay and benefits, especially prevalent among providers outside the public safetysector.• Being considered second class citizens by other public safety professionals at thefederal, state and local levels. 69Career EMS ProvidersCareer EMS providers are those who work full-time providing EMS for one or moreservices. Challenges to career services are more common than one would think. The items listedin the previous section apply to both services. Regardless of the challenges, most EMS providersenjoy their profession. 70Second Class Citizenry – There are problems inherent to New Jersey EMS thatdemand attention. Those choosing EMS as a career, who are not either firefighters or policeofficers, do not receive compensation and benefits equal with their fellow public safety69 IOM, (2007), p. 31.70 Ibid., p. 97.TriData, a Division of 121September 2007System Planning Corporation