Emergency medical dispatchers' experiences of using the Medical Priority Dispatch System telephone triage to identify maternity emergencies: a qualitative focus group study.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

The ambulance service plays a pivotal role in the provision of care in out-of-hospital maternity emergencies. Telephone triage of this patient group is complex and must be sensitive to an emergency situation to prevent unnecessary delays in treatment. This study aimed to explore emergency medical dispatchers' (EMDs) perceptions of the structured protocol they use.

Design

Voluntary participation in semistructured phenomenological focus groups. The participants were asked to discuss their experiences of using Medical Priority Dispatch System Protocol 24 (pregnancy, childbirth and miscarriage). Thematic analysis was applied to code and group topics. Discussion between the EMDs is presented for each theme and their experiences, including quotes, are presented to offer

SUBMITTER: Shaw J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10952860 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature