South African palliative care provider perspectives on emergency medical services in palliative situations
Introduction: Due to the frequent intersection of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) with palliative situations and the increasing global need for palliative care, there has been increased recognition of the need for palliative care integration with EMS. However, EMS and palliative care systems remain...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2024-12-01
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| Series: | African Journal of Emergency Medicine |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211419X24000351 |
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| author | Caleb Hanson Gage Liz Gwyther Willem Stassen |
| author_facet | Caleb Hanson Gage Liz Gwyther Willem Stassen |
| author_sort | Caleb Hanson Gage |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Due to the frequent intersection of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) with palliative situations and the increasing global need for palliative care, there has been increased recognition of the need for palliative care integration with EMS. However, EMS and palliative care systems remain segregated in many Low-to-Middle Income Country contexts, as in South Africa (SA). The aim of this study was to gather perspectives of palliative care providers in SA concerning EMS in palliative situations. Methods: A qualitative design employing individual semi-structured interviews was implemented. Ten interviews with experienced doctors and nurses holding post-graduate palliative medicine qualifications were conducted. Verbatim transcriptions of interviews were subjected to content analysis with an inductive-dominant approach to develop codes and categories. Results: Four categories were developed: (1) Disposition towards EMS, (2) Perceived EMS challenges, (3) Positive EMS impact across patients’ palliative care journeys and (4) Methods of EMS and palliative care system integration. Participants maintained an overall positive view of EMS and palliative care integration, noting the beneficial impact of EMS and suggesting various methods of integration, while also highlighting challenges and concerns. Conclusion: EMS and palliative care integration would be mutually beneficial to both systems while benefiting patient well-being and the broader healthcare system. Potentially low-cost, high-impact interventions suggested by participants, such as palliative care cards for patients and enhancing EMS and palliative care system communication, represent efficacious and judicious use of limited resources within the SA context. Pilot studies investigating these suggestions should be conducted. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b40a6dafa36e4f49a7eee2b5e1c5e058 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2211-419X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | African Journal of Emergency Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-b40a6dafa36e4f49a7eee2b5e1c5e0582024-12-27T04:08:10ZengElsevierAfrican Journal of Emergency Medicine2211-419X2024-12-01144231239South African palliative care provider perspectives on emergency medical services in palliative situationsCaleb Hanson Gage0Liz Gwyther1Willem Stassen2Division of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Corresponding author.Division of Interdisciplinary Palliative Care and Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South AfricaDivision of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South AfricaIntroduction: Due to the frequent intersection of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) with palliative situations and the increasing global need for palliative care, there has been increased recognition of the need for palliative care integration with EMS. However, EMS and palliative care systems remain segregated in many Low-to-Middle Income Country contexts, as in South Africa (SA). The aim of this study was to gather perspectives of palliative care providers in SA concerning EMS in palliative situations. Methods: A qualitative design employing individual semi-structured interviews was implemented. Ten interviews with experienced doctors and nurses holding post-graduate palliative medicine qualifications were conducted. Verbatim transcriptions of interviews were subjected to content analysis with an inductive-dominant approach to develop codes and categories. Results: Four categories were developed: (1) Disposition towards EMS, (2) Perceived EMS challenges, (3) Positive EMS impact across patients’ palliative care journeys and (4) Methods of EMS and palliative care system integration. Participants maintained an overall positive view of EMS and palliative care integration, noting the beneficial impact of EMS and suggesting various methods of integration, while also highlighting challenges and concerns. Conclusion: EMS and palliative care integration would be mutually beneficial to both systems while benefiting patient well-being and the broader healthcare system. Potentially low-cost, high-impact interventions suggested by participants, such as palliative care cards for patients and enhancing EMS and palliative care system communication, represent efficacious and judicious use of limited resources within the SA context. Pilot studies investigating these suggestions should be conducted.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211419X24000351EMSParamedicPalliative careEnd-of-lifeHomecare |
| spellingShingle | Caleb Hanson Gage Liz Gwyther Willem Stassen South African palliative care provider perspectives on emergency medical services in palliative situations African Journal of Emergency Medicine EMS Paramedic Palliative care End-of-life Homecare |
| title | South African palliative care provider perspectives on emergency medical services in palliative situations |
| title_full | South African palliative care provider perspectives on emergency medical services in palliative situations |
| title_fullStr | South African palliative care provider perspectives on emergency medical services in palliative situations |
| title_full_unstemmed | South African palliative care provider perspectives on emergency medical services in palliative situations |
| title_short | South African palliative care provider perspectives on emergency medical services in palliative situations |
| title_sort | south african palliative care provider perspectives on emergency medical services in palliative situations |
| topic | EMS Paramedic Palliative care End-of-life Homecare |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211419X24000351 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT calebhansongage southafricanpalliativecareproviderperspectivesonemergencymedicalservicesinpalliativesituations AT lizgwyther southafricanpalliativecareproviderperspectivesonemergencymedicalservicesinpalliativesituations AT willemstassen southafricanpalliativecareproviderperspectivesonemergencymedicalservicesinpalliativesituations |