Ambulance personnel’s perceptions on their workplace well-being: A descriptive interpretative study

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Ambulance personnel face numerous challenges during their working hours. Exposure to stressful situations and other factors in the outpatient emergency medical service can affect the health of ambulance personnel as well as their well-being. OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study was to explore the perceptions of ambulance personnel regarding their physical and mental well-being at the workplace. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive-interpretative research design was used. Individual face-to-face and online interviews were conducted between February and April 2022. A total of 26 interviews were conducted to explore employees’ perceptions regarding the impact of work on their health and well-being. RESULTS: Ambulance personnel described in detail their perceptions of the impact of work on their physical and mental health and well-being. Three main themes emerged from our data: 1) the impact of work on the psychophysical condition of ambulance personnel; 2) the impact of work on the lifestyle of ambulance personnel; 3) the impact of work and the work environment on the lives of ambulance personnel. CONCLUSION: Long-term work in emergency medical services affects the health and well-being of ambulance personnel. As demonstrated by this study, raising awareness on the importance of preventive and health promotion programmes, understanding employees’ problems by considering their opinions, and providing relevant training are extremely important tools for preventing such problems among employees.