Altruism in Paramedicine: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Medical Humanities
• Emergency Medical Services
• Healthcare Professionalism

Background:

• Altruism is well-documented in nursing and medicine, but its characteristics within paramedicine, particularly in Australia, remain under-explored.
• Understanding altruism in paramedicine is crucial for enhancing the patient experience and professional development.
• Existing research predominantly originates from Europe and North America, potentially limiting applicability to the Australian context due to service differences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review to assess the availability of data on altruism in paramedicine.
• To explore altruism from the perspectives of paramedics (practitioner, learner, educator) and patients.
• To examine the influence of altruism on the patient experience of emergency care.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review methodology was employed, guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR).
• Searches focused on 'altruism' and 'paramedicine', yielding 742 initial articles.
• After rigorous screening and exclusion, 27 articles were included in the final review.

Main Results:

• No included articles specifically addressed altruism within the paramedicine context.
• Data concerning altruism in paramedicine practice are extremely limited.
• Geographical and systemic differences may affect the manifestation of altruism in paramedicine across regions.

Conclusions:

• The current body of evidence on altruism in paramedicine is sparse, highlighting a significant research gap.
• Factors such as evolving paramedic practice scope, workload, education, and case acuity may influence altruistic behaviors.
• Further research is essential to investigate altruism, compassion, and caring behaviors in the Australasian paramedic setting.