An examination of the emerging field of community paramedicine: a national cross-sectional survey of community paramedics

BACKGROUND: Community Paramedicine is an evolving community-based model that expands paramedic roles from emergency and transport care to a focus on non-emergent and preventive health services tailored to local community needs. Though community paramedicine is a growing field and acceptance is gradually increasing, there is limited information on community paramedics (CPs) perceptions of their expanded roles. The study’s aim is to assess CPs’ perceptions about their training, roles, role clarity, role readiness, role satisfaction, professional identity, interprofessional collaboration, and the future of the community paramedicine care model. METHODS: Using the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians-mobile integrated health (NAEMT-MIH) listserv, a cross-sectional survey was conducted in July/August 2020 using a 43-item web-based questionnaire. Thirty-nine questions evaluated CPs’ training, roles, role clarity, role readiness, role satisfaction, professional identity, interprofessional collaboration, and program/work characteristics. Four open-ended questions examined perceptions of the future of community paramedicine care models and challenges/opportunities encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data was analyzed using Spearman’s correlation, Wilcoxon Mann–Whitney U, and Kruskal–Wallis tests. Open-ended questions were analyzed using qualitative content analyses. RESULTS: Responses from fifty-seven CPs were analyzed. Most (80%) completed didactic and/or clinical training. Nearly all respondents (96.5%) performed health assessments; only 38.6% administered vaccines. Overall, participants were neutral about their role readiness with a mean score of 3.3/5.0. The mean role clarity was 15.5 (range 4–29; higher scores = higher clarity), professional identity was 46.8 (range 30–55; higher scores = higher identity), role satisfaction was 4.4/5 with 5 = very satisfied, and interprofessional collaboration was 9.5/10 (10 = very important). Role clarity training (rho = 0.4, p = 0.0013) and higher interprofessional collaboration (rho = 0.4, p = 0.0015) were found to be significantly associated with the enhancement of professional identity. Respondents who completed training showed higher role satisfaction compared to those who did not (p = 0.0114). COVID-19 challenges included keeping up with emerging policies/procedures, CPs’ well-being, and inadequate funding to meet service needs; opportunities identified included service delivery expansion and CPs meeting community needs in a flexible manner. Respondents reported that sustainable payment models, expanding services, and geographic reach were important to the future of community paramedicine. CONCLUSIONS: Interprofessional collaboration is important to fulfill CPs roles. Role clarity and readiness could be improved, which aligns with the emerging nature of community paramedicine. The future of the community paramedicine care model is dependent on funding and expanding reach of services. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-023-09537-x.