Explaining the Obstacles of Interprofessional Communications of Nurses and Paramedics: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Background: Interprofessional communication between nurses and paramedics is a crucial and challenging issue for safe and effective patient care, but it has not been addressed enough. The most important action for improving these communications is to identify their obstacles and challenges. Objectives: The aim of this study was to explain the obstacles to interprofessional communications between nurses and paramedics. Methods: This study used the qualitative content analysis method. The participants of this research were 11 nurses and paramedics who were selected using purposeful sampling and took part in semi-structured in-depth interviews. The data were collected from May to September 2022. Data analysis was carried out by the conventional content analysis method proposed by Graneheim and Lundman. Guba and Lincoln’s criteria were used to assess the rigor and accuracy of the collected data. Results: The findings of this research disclosed 3 main themes; human resources challenges, lack of coordination between nursing and paramedics departments, and emergency situations. Conclusions: The challenges of interprofessional communication between nurses and paramedics are influenced by different human and managerial factors, and identifying them is a significant step toward improving this communication. With regard to the findings of this study, managers and planners of healthcare centers can mitigate challenging factors and improve the communication between nurses and paramedical staff and, therefore, prepare the context for high-quality care of patients and boost the satisfaction of health professionals with their work conditions.