Physicians’ challenges when working in the prehospital environment - a qualitative study using grounded theory
Dublin Core
Title
Physicians’ challenges when working in the prehospital environment - a qualitative study using grounded theory
Subject
Prehospital, Physician, Doctor, Organization, Environment, Leadership, Emotional management,
Communication, Grounded theory
Communication, Grounded theory
Description
Background In the rapid development in prehospital medicine the awareness of the many challenges in prehospital
care is important as it highlights which areas need improvement and where special attention during education and
training should be focused. The purpose of this study is to identify challenges that physicians face when working in
the prehospital environment. The research question is thus; what challenges do physicians face when working in
prehospital care?
Method This is a qualitative study with an inductive approach and is based on individual interviews. The interviews
were analyzed using the Classic Grounded Theory (GT) method as an approach. The interviews were conducted as
semi-structured interviews via the digital platform Zoom during winter / early spring 2022.
Results Challenges for prehospital physicians can be understood as a process that involves a balancing act between
different factors linked to the extreme environment in which they operate. This environment creates unique
challenges not usually encountered in routine hospital practice, which results in trade-offs that they would not
otherwise be faced with. Their individual situation needs to be balanced against organizational conditions, which
means, among other things, that their medical decisions must be made based on limited information as a result
of the constraints that exist in the prehospital environment. They must, both as individuals and as part of a team,
manoeuvre in time and space for decision-making and practical tasks. This theory of balancing different entities is
based on four themes; thus the theory is the relation between the four themes: leadership, environment, emotion
management and organization.
Conclusions With the help of previous studies and what we have found, it is reasonable to review what training is
needed before starting to work prehospital as a physician. This should include components of the themes we have
described: organization, environment, leadership and emotional management.
Keywords Prehospital, Physician, Doctor, Organization, Environment, Leadership, Emotional management,
Communication, Grounded theory
care is important as it highlights which areas need improvement and where special attention during education and
training should be focused. The purpose of this study is to identify challenges that physicians face when working in
the prehospital environment. The research question is thus; what challenges do physicians face when working in
prehospital care?
Method This is a qualitative study with an inductive approach and is based on individual interviews. The interviews
were analyzed using the Classic Grounded Theory (GT) method as an approach. The interviews were conducted as
semi-structured interviews via the digital platform Zoom during winter / early spring 2022.
Results Challenges for prehospital physicians can be understood as a process that involves a balancing act between
different factors linked to the extreme environment in which they operate. This environment creates unique
challenges not usually encountered in routine hospital practice, which results in trade-offs that they would not
otherwise be faced with. Their individual situation needs to be balanced against organizational conditions, which
means, among other things, that their medical decisions must be made based on limited information as a result
of the constraints that exist in the prehospital environment. They must, both as individuals and as part of a team,
manoeuvre in time and space for decision-making and practical tasks. This theory of balancing different entities is
based on four themes; thus the theory is the relation between the four themes: leadership, environment, emotion
management and organization.
Conclusions With the help of previous studies and what we have found, it is reasonable to review what training is
needed before starting to work prehospital as a physician. This should include components of the themes we have
described: organization, environment, leadership and emotional management.
Keywords Prehospital, Physician, Doctor, Organization, Environment, Leadership, Emotional management,
Communication, Grounded theory
Creator
Denise Bäckström1* and Aida Alvinius2
Source
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12245-024-00599-0
Date
2024
Contributor
Peri Irawan
Format
pdf
Language
english
Type
text
Files
Collection
Citation
Denise Bäckström1* and Aida Alvinius2, “Physicians’ challenges when working in the prehospital environment - a qualitative study using grounded theory,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed April 11, 2026, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/12288.