Situation awareness in Sweden’s emergency medical services : a goal-directed task analysis

Situation awareness is knowing what is going on in the situation. Clinicians working in the emergency medical services (EMS) encounter numerous situations in various conditions, and to be able to provide efficient and patient safe care they need to understand what is going on and possible projections of the current situation. The design of this study encompassed a Goal-Directed Task analysis where situation awareness information requirements were mapped in relation to goals related to various aspects of the EMS mission. A group of 30 EMS subject matter experts were recruited and answered a web-based survey in three rounds related to what they though themselves or a colleague might need to achieve situation awareness related to the specific goals of various situations. The answers were analysed using content analysis and descriptive statistics. Answers reached consensus at a predetermined level of 75%. Those who reached consensus were entered into the final goal-directed task analysis protocol. The findings presented that EMS clinicians must rely on their own, or their colleagues prior experience or knowledge to achieve situation awareness. This suggests that individual expertise plays a crucial role in developing situation awareness. There also seems to be limited support for situation awareness from organizational guidelines. Furthermore, achieving situation awareness also involves collaborative efforts from the individuals involved in the situation. These findings could add to the foundation for further investigation in this area which could contribute to the development of strategies and tools to enhance situation awareness among EMS clinicians, ultimately improving patient care and safety

Situation awareness in Sweden’s emergency medical services : a goal-directed task analysis

Situation awareness is knowing what is going on in the situation. Clinicians working in the emergency medical services (EMS) encounter numerous situations in various conditions, and to be able to provide efficient and patient safe care they need to understand what is going on and possible projections of the current situation. The design of this study encompassed a Goal-Directed Task analysis where situation awareness information requirements were mapped in relation to goals related to various aspects of the EMS mission. A group of 30 EMS subject matter experts were recruited and answered a web-based survey in three rounds related to what they though themselves or a colleague might need to achieve situation awareness related to the specific goals of various situations. The answers were analysed using content analysis and descriptive statistics. Answers reached consensus at a predetermined level of 75%. Those who reached consensus were entered into the final goal-directed task analysis protocol. The findings presented that EMS clinicians must rely on their own, or their colleagues prior experience or knowledge to achieve situation awareness. This suggests that individual expertise plays a crucial role in developing situation awareness. There also seems to be limited support for situation awareness from organizational guidelines. Furthermore, achieving situation awareness also involves collaborative efforts from the individuals involved in the situation. These findings could add to the foundation for further investigation in this area which could contribute to the development of strategies and tools to enhance situation awareness among EMS clinicians, ultimately improving patient care and safety

Ambulance nurses’ experiences as the sole caregiver with critical patients during long ambulance transports: an interview study

Abstract Background Working in rural areas involves tackling long distances and occasional lack of supportive resources. Ambulance nurses are faced with the responsibility of making immediate autonomous decisions and providing extended care to critically ill patients during prolonged ambulance transport to reach emergency medical facilities. This study aims to expose the experiences of ambulance nurses acting as primary caregivers for critically ill patients during lengthy ambulance transfers in rural regions. Method Fifteen nurses employed in an ambulance service within sparsely populated rural areas were subjected to semi-structured interviews. The collected data underwent qualitative content analysis. Result The analysis resulted in one overarching theme with two categories. The theme is ‘Safety in the Professional Role,’ and the two categories are ‘Working in sparsely populated areas presents challenges’ and ‘Rare events: when routine cannot be established.’ The findings suggest that working as an ambulance nurse in a rural setting poses various challenges that can be highly stressful. Delivering care to critically ill patients during extended ambulance transports requires the knowledge, experience, and careful planning of the healthcare provider in charge. Conclusions The findings underscore the necessity for thorough planning and adaptable thinking when attending to critically ill patients during extended transport scenarios. The absence of supporting resources can render the task demanding. Nevertheless, participants reported an inherent tranquility that aids them in maintaining focus amid their responsibilities

Reasons for bias in ambulance clinicians’ assessments of non-conveyed patients : a mixed-methods study

The number of ambulance assignments and the influx of patients to the emergency departments (EDs) in Sweden have increased in recent years. This is one reason the protocol for prehospital emergency care was developed around referring patients for non-conveyance, either through the see-and-convey elsewhere approach or through the see-and-treat approach. However, this protocol has led to challenges in patient assessments

Clinical reasoning in the emergency medical services: an integrative review

Abstract: Clinical reasoning is the process of gathering and understanding information conducted by clinicians in the emergency medical services (EMS) so as to make informed decisions. Research on clinical reasoning spans several disciplines, but a comprehensive view of the process is lacking. To our knowledge, no review of clinical reasoning in the EMS has been conducted. Aim: The aim was to investigate the nature, deployment, and factors influencing EMS clinicians’ clinical reasoning by means of a review. Method: Data was collected through searches in electronic databases, networking among research teams ,colleagues and friends, “grey literature,” and through ancestry searches. A total of 38 articles were deemed eligible for inclusion and were analyzed using descriptive thematic analysis. The analysis resulted in an overarching finding -namely, the importance for EMS clinicians to adjust for perceived control in unpredictable situations. Within this finding, 3 themes emerged in terms of EMS clinicians’ clinical reasoning: (1) maintaining a holistic view of the patient; (2) keeping an open mind; and (3) improving through criticism. Seven subthemes subsequently emerged from these three themes. Results: This review showed that EMS clinicians’ clinical reasoning begins with the information that they are given about a patient. Based on this information, clinicians calculate the best route to the patient and which equipment to use, and they also assess potential risks. They need to be constantly aware of what is happening on the scene and with the patient and strive to control the situation. This striving also enables EMS clinicians to work safely and effectively in relation to the patient, their relatives, other clinicians, associated organizations, and the wider community. A lack of contextually appropriate guidelines results in the need for creativity and forces EMS clinicians to use “workarounds” to solve issues beyond the scope of the guidelines available. In addition, they often lack organizational support and fear repercussions such as litigation, unemployment, or blame by their EMS or healthcare organization or by patients and relatives. Conclusion: Clinical reasoning is influenced by several factors. Further research is needed to determine which influencing factors can be addressed through interventions to minimize their impact on patient outcomes

Clinical Reasoning among Registered Nurses in Emergency Medical Services: A Case Study

In emergency medical services (EMS), the clinical reasoning (CR) of registered nurses (RNs) working in ambulance care plays an important role in providing care and treatment that is timely, accurate, appropriate and safe. However, limited existing knowledge about how CR is formed and influenced by the EMS mission hinders the development of service provision and decision support tools for RNs that would further enhance patient safety. To explore the nature of CR and influencing factors in this context, an inductive case study examined 34 observed patient–RN encounters in an EMS setting focusing on ambulance care. The results reveal a fragmented CR approach involving several parallel decision-making processes grounded in and led by patients’ narratives. The findings indicate that RNs are not always aware of their own CR and associated influences until they actively reflect on the process, and additional research is needed to clarify this complex phenomenon.Bedömning och beslutsfattande i ambulanssjukvår

Simulation in Virtual World to Promote Communication

Introduction Communication between ambulance professionals and patients is essential for understanding the patient's lifeworld (Wireklint Sundström & Dahlberg 2010). Simultaneously, communication is challenging to teach and learn within the framework of specific courses. However, simulation in virtual worlds can support the development of new skills such as communication (Combs, Sokolowski & Banks 2016).   Aim The aim of this work was to design a simulation-based platform for communication training among ambulance nurse students (ANS).   Methods A qualitative action research approach was used (Coghlan & Casey 2001). Second Life® (SL) was selected since it was an existing virtual world. SL is a web-based flexible three-dimensional platform that allows customization. Interaction and communication with other virtual people can be done through avatars in real time (Hodge, Collins & Giordano 2011). Three ANS and five teachers participated, none of the participants had prior experience of SL. Observations and interviews were used as data and analysed using thematic analysis.   Results The participants’ experiences generated three themes:   Understanding the virtual world It was easy to interact and communicate with other virtual people. However, it took time to feel comfortable to navigate in SL.   Technological challenges One challenge was related to audio-visual problems e.g. not compatible headset, interfering echoes and that the image was distorted at times, which made it difficult to act and move the avatar. Another challenge was associated with the 3D modelling e.g. the capability to use of coordinates, positioning, object dimensioning and the fact that accidental deletions could not be restored. A third challenges that influenced the communication was the difficulty of visualizing clinically relevant care measures such as diagnostic examinations or drug treatment. Finally, there was a challenge to customize the avatars to look like ambulance professionals or a severely ill patient.   Learning through avatars Learning through avatars requires that the participants take responsibility for delivering a convincing performance.  Immersion was limited since actions do not take place from a first-person viewpoint. There is a need that the scenario is based on realistic conditions e.g. interiors, equipment, clothing, avatar appearance and behaviour.   Conclusion The present system is not suitable for training of medical assessment. Teachers who are considering using virtual worlds in the training for future ambulance professionals should note that an appropriate design is crucial for how the simulation is experienced.