Research Symposium 2024 was hosted on the 18th and 19th of July, at Australian Catholic University, Brisbane campus. This symposium’s theme, “Influence and Inspire: Advancing the Paramedicine Research Agenda for Australasia,” reflects our commitment to fostering innovation and excellence in paramedic research. The goal of this symposium was to highlight the crucial role of paramedic research in shaping and advancing emergency care.

To watch more recordings from the symposium, click here. Please note that we experienced some audio issues while recording this event. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause while watching the recordings

What is known about exposure among individuals authorised to administer and handle ketamine across different occupational settings: A scoping review

Despite frequent use by paramedics, the prevalence and extent of occupational exposure (OE) to ketamine remain an understudied area of concern. Advancements in drug testing technologies, such as hair analysis, have enabled the detection of ketamine and its primary metabolite, norketamine, at very low levels of quantification. However, interpreting results is challenging without recognised cut-off values to differentiate between legitimate OE and intentional consumption of ketamine. To highlight any occupational risks and guide future research in this area, we conducted a scoping review to systematically map and synthesise all the available evidence on OE to ketamine among healthcare professionals.

Biography: David Shanahan

David is a registered paramedic and started his career with Queensland Ambulance Service before moving interstate to join Ambulance Victoria. David has over 20 years of clinical experience as an Advanced and Intensive Care Paramedic. David is currently a master’s research student at Monash University exploring the incidence and impact of occupational exposure to ketamine.

Session moderator: Dr Ben Meadley, ASM, PhD, FACPara, Adjunct Associate Professor, Monash University and Intensive Care Flight Paramedic (Ambulance Victoria)