Lone and lonely in a double ambivalence situation as experienced by callers while waiting for the ambulance in a rural environment

• BackgroundIn a rural environment where distances and access to ambulance resources in people’s immediate area are limited, other responders like firefighters dispatched to perform a first aid before ambulance arrives in areas where a longer response time exists; an assignment called ‘While Waiting for the Ambulance’ (WWFA). Knowledge is limited about the experience from a caller’s perspective when a person has a life‐threatening condition needing emergency help and both firefighters in a WWFA assignment and ambulance staff are involved.AimThe aim of the study is to describe the emergency situation involving a WWFA assignment in a rural environment from the caller's perspective.MethodA descriptive design using qualitative methodology with a reflective lifeworld research (RLR) approach was used for this study, including in‐depth interviews with eight callers.ResultsAn emergency situation involving WWFA assignment in a rural environment mean a sense of being lone and lonely with a vulnerability in while waiting to hand over responsibility for the affected person. Ambivalence in several dimensions arises with simultaneous and conflicting emotions. A tension between powerlessness and power of action where the throw between doubt and hope are abrupt with a simultaneous pendulum between being in a chaos and in a calm.ConclusionA double ambivalence emerges between, on one hand feeling alone in the situation and having full control, on the other hand, with trust handing over the responsibility, thereby losing control. Contact with the emergency medical dispatcher becomes a saving lifeline to hold onto, and access to emergency help in the immediate area of WWFA is valuable and important. Trust and confidence are experienced when callers are met with empathy, regardless of personal acquaintance with arriving responders.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Omvårdnad (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Nursing (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

ambulance staff

caller

CPR

emergency medical dispatcher

emergency situation

firefighters

first aid

reflective lifeworld research

responder

rural environment

Health and Caring Sciences

Hälsovetenskap

Nursing

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)