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
Reasonable compulsory overtime uncovered: What’s fair? What’s fatiguing? What’s fixable?
This study explored paramedics’ perceptions of what constitutes reasonable and unreasonable compulsory overtime (RCO) - the work performed beyond scheduled shifts. Using a three-round Delphi method, over 145 paramedics reached consensus on 17 conditions, identifying four as reasonable and thirteen as unreasonable. Themes included patient acuity, operational delays, and overtime duration. These findings provide the first paramedic-led insights into RCO and offer a foundation for evidence-based policy development to support workforce wellbeing, safety, and system sustainability.
Biography: Matt Ferris
Matt Ferris is a PhD candidate and paramedic, whose research focuses on fatigue management and mitigation in the out-of-hospital setting. His doctoral work evaluates the use of Fatigue Monitoring Tools, paramedics attitudes and experiences of fatigue management and the role rest breaks play in fatigue mitigation. With a background in regional and remote healthcare, Matts work aims to inform evidence-based strategies that enhance paramedic safety, wellbeing and performance - with a direct flow on effect to improving patient care.
Moderator: Sherlyn Hii, Conference MC and Paramedic, Ambulance Victoria and Registered Nurse, Grampians Health
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.
