Professor Peter O’Meara

Qualifications

BHA, GradCertAgHlthMed, MPP, PhD, RP, FACPara

Research Profile

Peter O’Meara is a nationally registered paramedic and an internationally recognized expert on paramedicine models of care and education. Peter is one of the most experienced and highly credentialed paramedic academics in the world with strong and extensive professional networks nationally and internationally. He was awarded his PhD from the University of New South Wales in 2002, making him one of the first paramedics in the world to complete a PhD focusing on paramedicine. His research topic examined the design of rural models of ambulance service delivery. In addition, he holds a Bachelor of Health Administration (UNSW) and a Master of Public Policy (Deakin University). In 2019 he completed postgraduate studies in agricultural health and medicine at the Centre for Farmer Health (Deakin University).

Peter’s ongoing research has largely focused on the evolution of new paramedic models of care and the professional and educational issues that arise from these initiatives. He has published paramedicine research on medical direction and clinical governance of paramedicine in Canada and the United States. In addition, he has been a member of two research teams exploring violence against health workers. During his 20 years in the higher education sector, he has completed and published a wide range of studies and evaluations related to paramedicine and rural health. He is currently supervising graduate research students from Australia, Canada and Nepal. Prior to his academic career, he worked in rural ambulance services throughout Victoria where he held a range of positions in clinical care, dispatch, operations, and corporate management.

Dr O’Meara has particularly strong international links in paramedicine, especially in North America. He has recently accepted an invitation to lead the US-based Global Paramedicine Higher Education Council initiative to expand and enrich the education of paramedics throughout the world. He is also a Board member of the American Paramedic Association.

Professional Affiliations

Australasian College of Paramedicine

  • Fellow
  • Member of the Rural, Remote and Community Paramedicine Special Interest Group
  • College Representative on the Council of the National Rural Health Alliance

Accreditation Assessor, Paramedic Board of Australia

Journal Advisory Committee, Australian Journal of Rural Health

Associate Editor, Australasian Journal of Paramedicine

Board Member, American Paramedic Association (USA)

Member, International Roundtable on Community Paramedicine

The Paramedic Network (USA)

  • Lead, Global Community Paramedicine Higher Education Council
  • Educational Advisory Board, MobileCE

Member, Bendigo Health Research Ethics Committee

Recent Publications

  1. O’Meara, P. 2021 Chapter 48, Presenting and getting your research published, in A. Olaussen, K.A. Bowles, B. Lord & B. Williams (Eds.). Introducing, designing and conducting research for paramedics. [publication pending]
  2. O’Meara, P. & O’Meara, D. 2021 Chapter 6. Qualitative Research, in Siriwardena, N. Whitley, G. (Eds). Prehospital Research Methods and Practice. [publication pending]
  3. Thomas, B., McGillion, A., Edvardsson, K. et al. 2021 Barriers, enablers, and opportunities for organisational follow-up of workplace violence from the perspective of emergency department nurses: a qualitative study. BMC Emerg Med 21, 19. 
  4. van Vuuren, J., Thomas, B., Agarwal, G. et al. 2021 Reshaping healthcare delivery for elderly patients: the role of community paramedicine; a systematic review. BMC Health Serv Res 21, 29.
  5. Thomas, B. O’Meara, P. Edvardsson, K. Spelten, E. 2020 Barriers and opportunities for workplace violence interventions in Australian paramedicine: a qualitative study. Australasian Journal of Paramedicine. Vol 17.
  6. Martin, A. O’Meara, P. 2020 Community Paramedicine through multiple stakeholder lenses using a modified soft systems methodology. Australasian Journal of Paramedicine. Vol 17.
  7. Spelten E, Thomas B, O'Meara PF, Maguire BJ, FitzGerald D, Begg SJ. 2020 Organisational interventions for preventing and minimising aggression directed towards healthcare workers by patients and patient advocates. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2020, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD012662. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD012662.pub2.
  8. Makrides, T. Gosling, C. Ross, L. O’Meara, P. 2020 The structure and characteristics of Anglo-American paramedic systems in developed countries: A scoping review protocol. Australasian Journal of Paramedicine Vol 17.
  9. Boehringer B, O’Meara P, Gary Wingrove G, Nudell, NG. 2020 Call to Action from the American Paramedic Association: An Emergency Amendment to the National Scope of Practice for Paramedics in the Setting of a Global Pandemic. Journal of Rural Health [accepted 11th April 2020] 
  10. Spelten E, Thomas B, O’Meara P, van Vuuren J, McGillion A. 2020 Violence against Emergency Department nurses; Can we identify the perpetrators? PLoS ONE 15(4): e0230793.
  11. Reed, B., Cowin, L., O'Meara, P., & Wilson, I. 2019 Professionalism and professionalisation in the discipline of paramedicine. Australasian Journal of Paramedicine, 16.
  12. O’Meara, P. 2019 The ageing farming workforce and the health and sustainability of agricultural communities: a narrative review. Australian Journal of Rural Health 27: 281-289.
  13. Munro, G. O’Meara, P. Mathisen, B. 2019 Paramedic transition into an academic role in universities: A qualitative survey of paramedic academics in Australia and New Zealand. Irish Journal of Paramedicine 4(1).
  14. Martin, A. O’Meara, P. 2019 Perspectives from the frontline of two North American community paramedicine programs: an observational, ethnographic study. Rural & Remote Health. 19(1) doi.org/10.22605/RRH4888
  15. Perona, M. Rahman MA. O’Meara, P. 2019 Paramedic judgement, decision-making and cognitive processing: a review of the literature. Australasian Journal of Paramedicine. 16