The meaning of significant others’ encounter with the ambulance clinicians in a non-emergency
care context
Engelsk titel: The meaning of significant others’ encounter with the ambulance clinicians in a non-emergency
care context
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Författare:
Rantala, Andreas
;
Ekwall, Anna
;
Forsberg, Anna
Email: andreas.rantala@med.lu.se
Språk: Eng
Antal referenser: 37
Dokumenttyp:
Artikel
UI-nummer: 16033520
Sammanfattning
The ambulance service is often summoned by a significant other. Therefore the ambulance
clinician is expected to establish a trusting relationship with her/him and not focus solely on the
patient. The aim of this study was to illuminate the meaning of significant others’ encounter with
ambulance clinicians in a non-emergency ambulance care context, where patients were triaged to a
level of care below that of the Accident and Emergency Department. The design was inductive. We
used the phenomenological hermeneutic method developed by Lindseth and Norberg. Eleven
significant others were interviewed using an open-ended method. A structural analysis resulted in a
total of seven themes, covering the meaning of being de-burdened or the absence of de-burdening.
When de-burdened, the significant other was empowered, irrespective of the outcome of the medical
assessment and triage process. In the absence of de-burdening, the significant other felt inferior,
petty, de-powered and not taken seriously by the ambulance clinicians. The majority of ambulance
assignments are considered non-emergency care. The ambulance clinicians are the first to encounter
significant others in these situations and therefore have a huge obligation to understand and handle
their basic needs.