Abstract
IntroductionEmergency medical services (EMS) providers are at continuous exposure to occupational stressors which negatively affect their health and professional practice. This study explored perceived occupational stressors among EMS providers.MethodsThis qualitative study was conducted from December 2019 to April 2020 using conventional content analysis. Sixteen EMS providers were purposively selected from EMS stations in Hamadan, Iran. Semi-structured interviews (with length of 45–60 min) were held for data collection. Data were analyzed through Graneheim and Lundman’s conventional content analysis approach.FindingsData analysis resulted in the development of two themes, namely critical conditions of EMS provision, and personal and professional conflicts. The six categories of these two themes were complexity of patients’ clinical conditions, interruption of EMS provision, health hazards, interpersonal problems, interprofessional interactions, and legal conflicts.ConclusionBesides the stress associated with emergency patient care, EMS providers face many different occupational stressors. EMS managers can use the findings of the present study to develop strategies for reducing occupational stress among EMS providers and thereby, improve their health and care quality.
Highlights
Emergency medical services (EMS) providers are at continuous exposure to occupational stressors which negatively affect their health and professional practice
Besides the stress associated with emergency patient care, EMS providers face many different occupational stressors
EMS managers can use the findings of the present study to develop strategies for reducing occupational stress among EMS providers and thereby, improve their health and care quality
Summary
Emergency medical services (EMS) providers are at continuous exposure to occupational stressors which negatively affect their health and professional practice. EMS providers provide their services to patients with critical conditions and in complex situations [2] which expose them to different unpredictable stressors and threats They experience high levels of stress and suffer from chronic stress. Studies showed that 22% of EMS providers deal with stress-related complications [3, 4] such as anxiety, irritability, social isolation, Different factors can cause stress among EMS providers These factors include placement in dangerous and uncontrollable conditions, distance from resources, witnessing heartbreaking senses of severe accidents [17], threats and violence, long shifts, short time for care provision [18], decision making under pressure, no control on the emergency scene [19], care provision to patients with critical conditions, witnessing patients’ death [20], the risk of infection transmission, and threats by mentally unstable patients [2].
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