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Published in: BMC Emergency Medicine 1/2024

Open Access 01-12-2024 | Research

Perceptions of professional challenges by emergency medical services providers: a qualitative content analysis study

Authors: Afshin Khazaei, Ali Afshari, Mahnaz Khatiban, Seyed Reza Borzou, Khodayar Oshvandi, Majedeh Nabavian, Maryam Maddineshat

Published in: BMC Emergency Medicine | Issue 1/2024

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Abstract

Introduction

Emergency medical services (EMS) providers encounter a variety of challenges due to the unpredictable, uncontrollable, and dynamic conditions in the pre-hospital field. This study explored the perceived professional challenges among EMS providers.

Materials and methods

This study was conducted using a qualitative research approach and the method of content analysis. Eighteen EMS providers were purposively selected from EMS stations in Hamadan, Iran. The collected data were then analyzed based on the Granheim and Lundman's method.

Results

Based on data analysis, five categories and one theme were identified. The extracted theme was professional challenges. The five categories were as follows: Ineffective policies; multicultural and multidisciplinary factors; ambulance dispatch route problems; legal issues; and abuse against the emergency medical services

Conclusion

In general, it has been found that EMS providers encounter numerous and complex professional challenges during their work. EMS managers can utilize the findings of the present study to develop strategies for reducing the professional challenges faced by EMS providers. By doing so, they can improve the quality of care in the prehospital field.
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Metadata
Title
Perceptions of professional challenges by emergency medical services providers: a qualitative content analysis study
Authors
Afshin Khazaei
Ali Afshari
Mahnaz Khatiban
Seyed Reza Borzou
Khodayar Oshvandi
Majedeh Nabavian
Maryam Maddineshat
Publication date
01-12-2024
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Emergency Medicine / Issue 1/2024
Electronic ISSN: 1471-227X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12873-024-00955-6

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