Patients' perceptions of safety in emergency medical services: an interview study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Research on patient safety in emergency medical services (EMS) has mainly focused on the organisation's and/or the EMS personnel's perspective. Little is known about how patients perceive safety in EMS. This study aims to describe the patients' experiences of their sense of safety in EMS.

Methods

A qualitative design with individual interviews of EMS patients (n=21) and an inductive qualitative content analysis were used.

Results

Patients' experiences of EMS personnel's ability or inability to show or use their medical, technical and driving skills affected the patients' sense of safety. When they perceived a lack of professionalism and knowledge among EMS personnel, they felt unsafe. Patients highlighted equality in the encounter, the quality of the inform

SUBMITTER: Venesoja A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7580042 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature