수련의 집단행동이 수련병원 응급의료센터에서 근무하는 1급 응급구조사들의 근무 시간과 근무형태에 미치는 영향

Abstract

Purpose: This study examined the impact of the 2024 residents’ strike on the working hours and shift patterns of Level-1 Emergency Medical Technicians–Paramedics (EMT-Ps) employed at teaching hospitals in Korea. It aimed to provide empirical evidence of workforce changes in emergency medical centers during periods of physician shortages. Methods: A descriptive pre–post survey design was employed. Data were collected from 161 EMT-Ps working in regional and local emergency medical centers. Working hours were categorized (<8 h, 8-12 h, >12 h) and converted into representative values (7 h, 10 h, 13 h) for analysis. Paired t-tests, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, and Bowker’s test of symmetry were applied to assess changes in average working hours and shift distributions before and after the strike. Results: Participants’ mean age was 30.8 years; 63% were female, and 63.2% were full-time employees. After the strike, average daily working hours increased significantly (t = −2.894, p = 0.004; z = −2.761, p = 0.006). The proportion of EMT-Ps working ≥12 hours rose slightly, whereas those working <8 hours decreased. Shift patterns also changed: day shifts and two-shift rotations declined, while three-shift rotations increased significantly (χ2 = 199.235, df = 4, p = 0.001). Conclusion: The absence of residents led to measurable increases in EMT-P working hours and a restructuring of duty shifts toward more frequent three-shift rotations. These findings highlight the vulnerability of emergency workforce allocation during physician shortages and underscore the need for flexible scheduling and supportive policies to ensure workforce stability and patient safety.