Healthcare professionals' lived experiences of resuscitation during pregnancy: A hermeneutic phenomenological study

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation during pregnancy is a rare but high-risk emergency that requires rapid, coordinated, and pregnancy-specific interventions. This study aimed to explore healthcare professionals' lived experiences of cardiopulmonary resuscitation during pregnancy and to understand perceptions of preparedness, emotional responses, and interprofessional team dynamics in emergency care settings.

A qualitative study using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach was conducted. Data were collected in November 2025 through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 22 healthcare professionals (nurses, physicians, and a midwife) working in the emergency department of a public hospital in Türkiye. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using an interpretive hermeneutic phenomenological framework to identify shared meanings and themes.

Four interrelated themes were constructed, reflecting the paradox of rare events, emotional reflections, team dynamics, and knowledge and training needs. Participants described maternal resuscitation as a rare, highly stressful emergency characterized by ethical responsibility for both mother and fetus. Preparedness was perceived to depend less on individual technical knowledge and more on experiential learning, clear role allocation, and collective team efficacy. Emotional burden was intensified by the dual responsibility of care, while effective teamwork was a key protective factor supporting clinical performance and psychological resilience.

Maternal resuscitation is experienced as a complex, relational, and ethically demanding emergency rather than a purely technical intervention. Preparedness is shaped by emotional regulation, interprofessional collaboration, and experiential competence alongside clinical knowledge.