Department of Health and Caring Sciences, University Lecturer Faculty of Health and Life Sciences Linnaeus University, 392 31, Växjö/Kalmar, Sweden.
Centre of Interprofessional Collaboration Within Emergency Care (CICE), Linnaeus University, Växjö, Sweden.
BMC Cardiovasc Disord. 2024 Mar 14;24(1):157. doi: 10.1186/s12872-024-03826-x.
Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a leading cause of death, and survival outcomes vary across countries and regions. To improve survival, the European Resuscitation Council Guidelines encourage the implementation of technologies like smartphone applications to alert voluntary first responders (VFRs) who are near a suspected OHCA. VFRs are of great importance in the ´chain of survival´, but there is still a lack of knowledge about their experiences; especially of those operating in rural areas. Understanding those experiences is crucial in developing appropriate interventions to train, encourage, and safeguard VFRs in their mission. Therefore, the aim of this study was to describe VFRs´ experiences of being dispatched to suspected OHCA in rural areas.
The study used an inductive design. The data were collected using individual interviews with 16 VFRs and analysed using qualitative content analysis.
The results are presented in terms of six generic categories ''Being motivated and prepared'', ''Having strategies to undertake the mission'', ''Collaborating with others'', ''Being ethically aware'', ''Supporting the family members'', and ''Coping with the mission'', which formed the basis of the main category 'Desire to save lives and help others'. The findings showed that VFRs had a genuine desire to contribute to save lives in this rural area. Regardless of the circumstances, they were prepared to leave everything and act to the best for the victim and their family members. In theirs' missions they collaborated with others at the scene and were guided by ethics while they acted in complex circumstances.
VFRs dispatched in rural areas express a desire to save lives. In their missions, they acted in complex situations and experienced both emotional and ethical challenges. The design, implementation, and evaluation of support interventions directed at VFRs should be prioritised, especially in rural areas, as it can contribute to more people becoming and remaining VFRs, which in turn could contribute to sustainable development.
院外心脏骤停（OHCA）是导致死亡的主要原因，其生存结果因国家和地区而异。为了提高生存率，欧洲复苏委员会指南鼓励采用智能手机应用程序等技术，提醒在疑似 OHCA 附近的志愿第一响应者（VFR）。VFR 在“生存链”中非常重要，但人们对他们的经验仍然知之甚少；尤其是在农村地区的 VFR。了解这些经验对于制定适当的干预措施以培训、鼓励和保护 VFR 履行使命至关重要。因此，本研究旨在描述 VFR 在农村地区被派往疑似 OHCA 的经历。
该研究采用了归纳设计。使用与 16 名 VFR 进行的个人访谈收集数据，并使用定性内容分析进行分析。
结果以六个通用类别呈现，分别是“有动力和准备”、“有执行任务的策略”、“与他人合作”、“有道德意识”、“支持家庭成员”和“应对任务”，这些类别构成了“渴望拯救生命和帮助他人”这一主要类别的基础。研究结果表明，VFR 渴望为这个农村地区做出贡献，拯救生命。无论情况如何，他们都准备好放下一切，尽最大努力为受害者及其家人提供帮助。在他们的任务中，他们与现场的其他人合作，并在行动中遵循道德规范，同时应对复杂的情况。
被派往农村地区的 VFR 表达了拯救生命的愿望。在他们的任务中，他们在复杂的情况下行动，并面临情感和道德方面的挑战。应优先设计、实施和评估针对 VFR 的支持干预措施，特别是在农村地区，因为这有助于更多人成为并保持 VFR，从而有助于可持续发展。
