As part of a major funded research project, Measurement of EMT Performance, methodologies were developed to describe and assess Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) performance. Preliminary findings based on a sample of 1470 emergency episodes in a large Southeastern city indicated the possibility of serious deficiencies in the performance of EMTs. The principal aims of the present study were to extend this previous research by examining the nature of EMT performance, generating hypotheses about the determinants of EMT performance based on the emergency medicine and skilled performance literatures, and testing these hypotheses using the data collected on the sample of 1470 emergency episodes. Independent variables pertaining to EMT skill, EMT effort, and situational constraints on EMT performance were hypothesized to be important predictors of two dimensions of EMT performance: appropriate treatment selection and treatment performance proficiency. Through a variety of linear regression procedures, the effectiveness of the independent variables in predicting the two performance dimensions were examined. For appropriate treatment selection, results suggested that the performance of suggested treatments (deemed helpful though not required) were more predictable than mandated treatments (deemed required for minimal prudent care). Consistent findings in the prediction of appropriate treatment selection were: complexity of the case was negatively associated with suggested treatment performance, and general practice and positive attitudes toward emergency care work and the people served were positively associated with suggested treatment performance. For the prediction of treatment performance proficiency, consistent findings were: severity and complexity of the case were negatively associated with proficient performance, and general practice was positively / associated with proficient performance. Limitations of the study including the failure to assess adequately some potentially important predictor variables and weaknesses in the measurement of the performance and predictor variables were also discussed. Finally, some promising policy leads tentatively suggested by the present results were discussed. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 43-07, Section: B, page: 2318. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1982.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_74901 |
| Contributors | MABE, PAUL ALEXANDER, III., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 375 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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