Ambulance clinicians' experiences of relationships with patients and significant others

Ambulance clinicians (ACs) have to provide advanced care and treatment to patients in a challenging and emotionally demanding environment, therefore they establish interpersonal relationships embracing both patients and significant others. Relationships in emergency care were earlier found to be short-lived and lacking a holistic understanding of the patient. In their relationship with the ambulance clinicians, it is for patients to surrender and become dependent, which may be interpreted as both a negative and a positive experience.

The aim of this study was to elucidate ambulance clinicians' experiences of relationships with patients and significant others.

Data were collected from four focus group conversations, with a total of 18 participating ambulance clinicians. An inductive qualitative content analysis method was chosen.

The analysis resulted in one main category: 'To be personal in a professional role' and three generic categories: 'To be there for the affected person', 'To be personally involved' and 'To have a professional mission'. There were subsequently nine sub-categories. The main category was described as intertwining the experience of being both personal and professional. The ambulance clinicians adapt to a situation while having the affected person in focus. They involve themselves as persons but at the same time use the power of their professional role.

The relationship with patients and significant others from the ambulance clinicians' perspective can be understood as embracing both personal and professional aspects.

This study provides an understanding of the ambulance clinicians' professional role as embracing a personal perspective, which is important when developing an emergency ambulance service focusing on care that involves more than just emergency medical treatment.