Australasian College of Paramedicine International Conference (ACPIC25)
ACPIC 2025 delivered a wide range of clinical and research sessions from experts and leaders in paramedicine. Hosted in Brisbane (September 2025) the program was designed to inspire, educate and broaden horizons.
Conference theme: Foundations to future: Advancing paramedicine
Assessing the incidence and prevalence of violence towards paramedics in Ontario, Canada
Addressing violence against paramedics is a complex problem. Leveraging a novel reporting system embedded in the patient care report, we assessed the prevalence of paramedics of violence in twelve paramedic services; we analyzed 2,867 violence reports, with 56% of reports documenting an assault and 9% indicating the paramedic was physically harmed. Most (50%) of the violence occurred at the scene, substance use (49%) and mental health (35%) were frequently cited as contributing factors. We found a pooled rate of 2.52 violent encounters per 1,000 calls, which is more than twice that of healthcare workers in ED settings.
Biography: Dr. Elizabeth Donnelly
Dr. Elizabeth Donnelly holds a PhD in Social Work, a Master of Social Work (MSW), and Master of Public Health (MPH). Dr. Donnelly is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) and a Scientist with the McNally Project for Paramedicine Research. Dr. Donnelly’s research efforts center around understanding and improving workforce health and wellbeing in paramedicine. Her research is driven by her experiences with front-line work; she has maintained certification as Nationally Registered Emergency Medical Technician (NREMT) for over 25 years. More information is available at www.elizabethdonnelly.com
Moderator: Dr. Tim Makrides, Associate Professor & Head of Course - Paramedic Science, CQUniversity Australia
The College is the peak professional body representing and supporting paramedics and student paramedics across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand since 1973.
The College acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the traditional custodians of the land and sea in which we live and work, we recognise their continuing connection to land, sea and culture and pay our respects to Elders past, present and future.
We recognise the unique role of Māori as Tangata Whenua and embrace Te Tiriti o Waitangi, recognising Māori as tino rangatiratanga of Aotearoa New Zealand while supporting the guiding principles of Te Tiriti – Tino rangatiratanga, Equality, Active protection, Options, and Partnership.
