Violence Against Paramedics Is Rising: Leadership & the EVAP Program | Mandy Johnston

Violence against paramedics is rising across Canada and internationally, placing frontline clinicians among the most at-risk professionals in healthcare. Addressing this crisis requires far more than resilience training or individual coping strategies—it demands leadership, cultural change, and system-level accountability.In this episode of The Inflection Point, we sit down with Mandy Johnston, a frontline paramedic turned system-level leader, to examine the leadership strategies behind the External Violence Against Paramedics (EVAP) program.Mandy shares her journey from the field to leading a provincial initiative focused on:Improving reporting of external violenceBuilding trust with frontline paramedicsTranslating data into policy, training, and tangible system changeSustaining momentum in emotionally demanding advocacy workThis is a practical, evidence-informed conversation about what real culture change looks like in paramedicine—and why leadership behaviour matters more than policy statements alone.Why violence against paramedics is a system-level problem, not an individual failingHow leadership behaviour shapes reporting culture and psychological safetyThe hidden emotional toll of advocacy and change leadershipHow EVAP moved from awareness to measurable impactWhat healthcare leaders across sectors can learn from paramedicine00:00 Introduction and Initial Thoughts00:12 Empowerment and Leadership00:58 Guest Introduction and Initial Reactions01:58 Challenges and Stress in the Role02:52 The EVAP Program and Its Impact09:56 Leadership and Mentorship14:55 Cultural Change and Reporting17:24 The EVAP Work Group34:40 Demonstrating Tangible Change35:16 Building Trust Through Transparency35:43 Launching New Policies and Campaigns36:37 Impact of Training and Reporting37:17 Leadership and Culture Change38:08 Personal Stories and Presentation Skills40:30 Overcoming Challenges in Healthcare42:49 Sustaining and Expanding EVAP58:29 Final Thoughts and Call to ActionThe Inflection Point explores paramedicine, emergency medicine, leadership, health quality, and system innovation through expert interviews and frontline insight.Podcast Website:https://theinflectionpoint.podbean.com/If you found this episode valuable, please like, subscribe, and share to support conversations around resilience, mental health, and first responders.This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the participants and do not represent the policies or positions of any employer, paramedic service, regulatory college, base hospital, medical director, or government agency.This content does not constitute medical advice, legal advice, operational direction, or professional instruction. Listeners are responsible for practicing within their legislated scope of practice and in accordance with applicable provincial legislation, regulatory college standards, employer policies, and local Medical Directives. In Ontario, paramedics must follow the directives and oversight of their Base Hospital and Medical Director.Edited in Wondershare Filmora 14 and DESCRIPT AIScript, transcription, and voice cleanup with Descript AI#Paramedicine #EMS #FirstResponders #WorkplaceViolence#ViolenceAgainstParamedics #HealthcareLeadership #PsychologicalSafety#HealthQuality #PatientSafety #SystemLeadership#CanadianEMS #OntarioParamedics#TheInflectionPoint #HealthcarePodcast #ParamedicPodcast