Recruiting Strategies for Increasing the Number of Emergency Medical Technician Personnel

Demand for the emergency medical technician (EMT) is 2 times greater than that of all other occupations. Sustainability of ambulance services (AS) personnel is dependent upon the recruitment of EMTs into the industry. The purpose of this multiple case study was the exploration of the recruiting strategies that AS administrators used to increase the number of EMTs. Herzberg\u27s 2 factor theory of motivation was the conceptual framework for this study. The data collection instrument included semistructured interviews with 6 AS company executives in southeastern New Mexico and southwestern Texas. Secondary data and document from each state\u27s emergency medical services personnel and websites related to EMTs were reviewed. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis alignment between the recruiting strategies and the conceptual framework. Two key themes emerged: AS administrators have minimal data-driven recruitment tracking mechanisms and recruiting strategies for EMTs must align with the motivational aspects of growth, advancement, recognition, and responsibility in the AS business to entice people into the industry. The implications of this study for social change include the potential for AS executives to identify recruiting strategies they might use to increase the recruitment of EMTs to meet patient and community needs for medical transport while reducing the demand for EMTs nationwide