Barriers to recognition of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest during emergency medical calls: a qualitative inductive thematic analysis

David Alfsen; Thea Palsgaard Møller; Ingrid Egerod; Freddy K Lippert

doi:10.1186/s13049-015-0149-4

Barriers to recognition of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest during emergency medical calls: a qualitative inductive thematic analysis

David Alfsen, Thea Palsgaard Møller, Ingrid Egerod, Freddy K Lippert

Department of Clinical Medicine

19 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The chance of surviving out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) depends on early and correct recognition of cardiac arrest by the emergency medical dispatcher during the emergency call. When cardiac arrest is identified, telephone guided cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and referral to an automated external defibrillator should be initiated. Previous studies have investigated barriers to recognition of OHCA, and found the caller's description of sign of life, the type of caller, caller's emotional state, an inadequate dialogue during the emergency call, and patient's agonal breathing as influential factors. Though many of these factors are included in the algorithms used by medical dispatchers, many OHCA still remain not recognised. Qualitative studies investigating the communication between the caller and dispatcher are very scarce. There is a lack of knowledge about what influences the dispatchers' recognition of OHCA, focusing on the communication during the emergency call. The purpose of this study is to identify factors affecting medical dispatchers' recognition of OHCA during emergency calls in a qualitative analysis of calls.

METHODS: An investigator triangulated inductive thematic analysis of recordings of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest emergency calls from December 2012. Participants were the callers (bystanders) and the emergency medical dispatchers. Data were analysed using a hermeneutic approach.

RESULTS: Based on the concept of data saturation, 13 recordings of not recognised cardiac arrest and 8 recordings of recognised cardiac arrests were analysed. Three main themes, six subthemes and an embedded theme emerged from the analysis: caller's physical distance (caller near patient, caller not near patient), caller's emotional distance (keeping calm, losing control), caller is a healthcare professional (responsibility is handed over to the caller, caller assumes responsibility), and the embedded theme: caller assesses the patient.

CONCLUSION: The physical and emotional proximity of the caller (bystander) as well as the caller's professional background affect the dispatcher's chances of correct recognition and handling of cardiac arrest. The dispatcher should acknowledge the triple roles of conducting patient assessment, instructing the caller, and reassuring the emotionally affected caller.

Original language	English
Article number	70
Journal	Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine
Volume	23
Pages (from-to)	1-8
Number of pages	8
ISSN	1757-7241
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s13049-015-0149-4
Publication status	Published - 17 Sept 2015

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Barriers to recognition of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest during emergency medical calls : a qualitative inductive thematic analysis. / Alfsen, David; Møller, Thea Palsgaard; Egerod, Ingrid et al.

In: Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine, Vol. 23, 70, 17.09.2015, p. 1-8.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

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title = "Barriers to recognition of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest during emergency medical calls: a qualitative inductive thematic analysis",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: The chance of surviving out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) depends on early and correct recognition of cardiac arrest by the emergency medical dispatcher during the emergency call. When cardiac arrest is identified, telephone guided cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and referral to an automated external defibrillator should be initiated. Previous studies have investigated barriers to recognition of OHCA, and found the caller's description of sign of life, the type of caller, caller's emotional state, an inadequate dialogue during the emergency call, and patient's agonal breathing as influential factors. Though many of these factors are included in the algorithms used by medical dispatchers, many OHCA still remain not recognised. Qualitative studies investigating the communication between the caller and dispatcher are very scarce. There is a lack of knowledge about what influences the dispatchers' recognition of OHCA, focusing on the communication during the emergency call. The purpose of this study is to identify factors affecting medical dispatchers' recognition of OHCA during emergency calls in a qualitative analysis of calls.METHODS: An investigator triangulated inductive thematic analysis of recordings of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest emergency calls from December 2012. Participants were the callers (bystanders) and the emergency medical dispatchers. Data were analysed using a hermeneutic approach.RESULTS: Based on the concept of data saturation, 13 recordings of not recognised cardiac arrest and 8 recordings of recognised cardiac arrests were analysed. Three main themes, six subthemes and an embedded theme emerged from the analysis: caller's physical distance (caller near patient, caller not near patient), caller's emotional distance (keeping calm, losing control), caller is a healthcare professional (responsibility is handed over to the caller, caller assumes responsibility), and the embedded theme: caller assesses the patient.CONCLUSION: The physical and emotional proximity of the caller (bystander) as well as the caller's professional background affect the dispatcher's chances of correct recognition and handling of cardiac arrest. The dispatcher should acknowledge the triple roles of conducting patient assessment, instructing the caller, and reassuring the emotionally affected caller.",

author = "David Alfsen and M{\o}ller, {Thea Palsgaard} and Ingrid Egerod and Lippert, {Freddy K}",

year = "2015",

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doi = "10.1186/s13049-015-0149-4",

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T1 - Barriers to recognition of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest during emergency medical calls

T2 - a qualitative inductive thematic analysis

AU - Alfsen, David

AU - Møller, Thea Palsgaard

AU - Egerod, Ingrid

AU - Lippert, Freddy K

PY - 2015/9/17

Y1 - 2015/9/17

N2 - BACKGROUND: The chance of surviving out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) depends on early and correct recognition of cardiac arrest by the emergency medical dispatcher during the emergency call. When cardiac arrest is identified, telephone guided cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and referral to an automated external defibrillator should be initiated. Previous studies have investigated barriers to recognition of OHCA, and found the caller's description of sign of life, the type of caller, caller's emotional state, an inadequate dialogue during the emergency call, and patient's agonal breathing as influential factors. Though many of these factors are included in the algorithms used by medical dispatchers, many OHCA still remain not recognised. Qualitative studies investigating the communication between the caller and dispatcher are very scarce. There is a lack of knowledge about what influences the dispatchers' recognition of OHCA, focusing on the communication during the emergency call. The purpose of this study is to identify factors affecting medical dispatchers' recognition of OHCA during emergency calls in a qualitative analysis of calls.METHODS: An investigator triangulated inductive thematic analysis of recordings of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest emergency calls from December 2012. Participants were the callers (bystanders) and the emergency medical dispatchers. Data were analysed using a hermeneutic approach.RESULTS: Based on the concept of data saturation, 13 recordings of not recognised cardiac arrest and 8 recordings of recognised cardiac arrests were analysed. Three main themes, six subthemes and an embedded theme emerged from the analysis: caller's physical distance (caller near patient, caller not near patient), caller's emotional distance (keeping calm, losing control), caller is a healthcare professional (responsibility is handed over to the caller, caller assumes responsibility), and the embedded theme: caller assesses the patient.CONCLUSION: The physical and emotional proximity of the caller (bystander) as well as the caller's professional background affect the dispatcher's chances of correct recognition and handling of cardiac arrest. The dispatcher should acknowledge the triple roles of conducting patient assessment, instructing the caller, and reassuring the emotionally affected caller.

AB - BACKGROUND: The chance of surviving out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) depends on early and correct recognition of cardiac arrest by the emergency medical dispatcher during the emergency call. When cardiac arrest is identified, telephone guided cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and referral to an automated external defibrillator should be initiated. Previous studies have investigated barriers to recognition of OHCA, and found the caller's description of sign of life, the type of caller, caller's emotional state, an inadequate dialogue during the emergency call, and patient's agonal breathing as influential factors. Though many of these factors are included in the algorithms used by medical dispatchers, many OHCA still remain not recognised. Qualitative studies investigating the communication between the caller and dispatcher are very scarce. There is a lack of knowledge about what influences the dispatchers' recognition of OHCA, focusing on the communication during the emergency call. The purpose of this study is to identify factors affecting medical dispatchers' recognition of OHCA during emergency calls in a qualitative analysis of calls.METHODS: An investigator triangulated inductive thematic analysis of recordings of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest emergency calls from December 2012. Participants were the callers (bystanders) and the emergency medical dispatchers. Data were analysed using a hermeneutic approach.RESULTS: Based on the concept of data saturation, 13 recordings of not recognised cardiac arrest and 8 recordings of recognised cardiac arrests were analysed. Three main themes, six subthemes and an embedded theme emerged from the analysis: caller's physical distance (caller near patient, caller not near patient), caller's emotional distance (keeping calm, losing control), caller is a healthcare professional (responsibility is handed over to the caller, caller assumes responsibility), and the embedded theme: caller assesses the patient.CONCLUSION: The physical and emotional proximity of the caller (bystander) as well as the caller's professional background affect the dispatcher's chances of correct recognition and handling of cardiac arrest. The dispatcher should acknowledge the triple roles of conducting patient assessment, instructing the caller, and reassuring the emotionally affected caller.

U2 - 10.1186/s13049-015-0149-4

DO - 10.1186/s13049-015-0149-4

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 26382934

SN - 1757-7241

VL - 23

SP - 1

EP - 8

JO - Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine

JF - Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine

M1 - 70

ER -

Barriers to recognition of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest during emergency medical calls: a qualitative inductive thematic analysis

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