Pre-hospital burn mission as a unique experience: a qualitative study.

Abstract

A thorough understanding of experiences related to pre-hospital emergency care of burns is a prerequisite of skill promotion for medical personnel. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the experiences of pre-hospital emergency personnel during burn accidents. The present qualitative study was performed using a content analysis method. In total, 18 Iranian emergency care personnel participated in the study. A purposeful sampling method was applied until reaching data saturation. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and field observations. Afterwards, the gathered data were analyzed through face content analysis. By analyzing 498 primary codes, four main categories; the nature of burn care, tension at the accident scene, gradual job 'burnout', and insufficient information, were extracted from the experiences of pre-hospital emergency personnel during burn care. These categories each included several sub-categories, which were classified according to their significant characteristics. This study showed that different factors affect the quality of pre-hospital clinical services for burns. Authorities and health system administrators should consider the physical and psychological health of their staff, and assign policies to improve the quality of pre-hospital medical care. According to the present results, it is recommended that the process of pre-hospital emergency care for burns be investigated further.