The Ottawa Paramedic Physical Ability Test: test-retest reliability and analysis of sex-based performance differences

Abstract

The Ottawa Paramedic Physical Ability Test (OPPAT) is a physical employment standard (PES) that candidates must pass as a pre-hire requirement and that incumbents may have to pass prior to returning to work after absence, to demonstrate their physical capabilities as required to safely meet the demands of paramedic work. Consistent with best practice guidelines for PES development, it is important to establish reliability and to investigate sex-based performance differences. Active duty paramedics completed the OPPAT twice while candidates completed the OPPAT six times. Across all participants, a median improvement of 76.0 s was observed in OPPAT performance (922.0–846.0 s) between trial 1 and trial 2. Among candidates, OPPAT performance stabilised by the fourth trial confirming reliability. Sex-based analyses revealed median differences in OPPAT performance time of 39.0 and 63.0 s between males and females during the first and second trials respectively.

Practitioner summary: Active duty paramedics and candidates performed the Ottawa Paramedic Physical Ability Test (OPPAT) faster following familiarisation. Among candidates, performance time stabilised by the fourth trial. Performance time was slower among females, but this had less impact on females’ ability to meet the OPPAT standard.

KEYWORDS:

• Performance standard
• reliability
• familiarisation
• sex

Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge the support of the Paramedic Programme Coordinators, Neil Freckleton (Conestoga College) and Craig MacCalman (Humber College) for their efforts in supporting this research study. We would also like to acknowledge the assistance of Jessica Park, Jordan Taylor, Robert Wagner, and Danielle MacFarlane, all active duty paramedics with the Region of Waterloo Paramedic Services, who in their off-duty time, were willing to support this research effort by serving as lifting partners during OPPAT trials.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This project was funded by the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Research Opportunities Programme [ROP-15-R-004].