Pub Date : 2019-10-02DOI: 10.1108/ijes-12-2018-0065
Cüneyt Çalışkan, K. H. Altıntaş
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the time, place and ambulance types specified on the ambulance patient registry forms for cases transferred through 112 EMS in the Bozcaada and Gökçeada island districts of the province of Çanakkale. Design/methodology/approach The universe of the descriptive – cross-sectional epidemiological study was composed of the ambulance patient registration forms of the cases which were transferred from Bozcaada and Gökçeada islands between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2013. Findings Of the transfers made, 28.1 percent were in the year 2012, 39.5 percent were in summer, 16.6 percent were in July, 17.9 percent were on Monday, 37.1 percent were between 12.00 and 17.59 h and 61.5 percent were from Gökçeada island. Ground ambulances were more common in the transfers from Bozcaada island, while ambulance boat and helicopter ambulance were more common for transfers from Gökçeada island. Helicopter-Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) (p<0.001), which is commonly preferred for patient transfers, inversely affects the use of Ambulance Boat-Emergency Medical Service (BEMS) and ground ambulances. Transfers from Bozcaada island were found to be shorter in duration, and the number of transfers from Bozcaada island between 00.00 and 05.59 h were found to be higher than from Gökçeada island (p<0.001), while the number of transfers via ground ambulance between 00.00 and 05.59 h were found to be higher than the other ambulance types (p<0.001). Practical implications This study reveals the current state of the various referral routes from the islands. Originality/value This paper is the first study to demonstrate the characteristics of patients referred from the island belongs to Turkey.
{"title":"Time, island and ambulance type characteristics of patient transfers from two Turkish islands","authors":"Cüneyt Çalışkan, K. H. Altıntaş","doi":"10.1108/ijes-12-2018-0065","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/ijes-12-2018-0065","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the time, place and ambulance types specified on the ambulance patient registry forms for cases transferred through 112 EMS in the Bozcaada and Gökçeada island districts of the province of Çanakkale.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000The universe of the descriptive – cross-sectional epidemiological study was composed of the ambulance patient registration forms of the cases which were transferred from Bozcaada and Gökçeada islands between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2013.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000Of the transfers made, 28.1 percent were in the year 2012, 39.5 percent were in summer, 16.6 percent were in July, 17.9 percent were on Monday, 37.1 percent were between 12.00 and 17.59 h and 61.5 percent were from Gökçeada island. Ground ambulances were more common in the transfers from Bozcaada island, while ambulance boat and helicopter ambulance were more common for transfers from Gökçeada island. Helicopter-Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) (p<0.001), which is commonly preferred for patient transfers, inversely affects the use of Ambulance Boat-Emergency Medical Service (BEMS) and ground ambulances. Transfers from Bozcaada island were found to be shorter in duration, and the number of transfers from Bozcaada island between 00.00 and 05.59 h were found to be higher than from Gökçeada island (p<0.001), while the number of transfers via ground ambulance between 00.00 and 05.59 h were found to be higher than the other ambulance types (p<0.001).\u0000\u0000\u0000Practical implications\u0000This study reveals the current state of the various referral routes from the islands.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000This paper is the first study to demonstrate the characteristics of patients referred from the island belongs to Turkey.\u0000","PeriodicalId":44087,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Emergency Services","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2019-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1108/ijes-12-2018-0065","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46885171","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-08-29DOI: 10.1108/IJES-03-2019-0014
Heilwine Bakker, M. van Veldhoven, Tony Gaillard, R. Hertogs, Margot Feenstra
Purpose Since policemen have a highly demanding job, they have a high risk of developing mental health problems, which may have a negative influence on their private life. The purpose of this paper is to present a new questionnaire for measuring the functioning of rescue workers in life tasks outside of work. Design/methodology/approach The internal consistency, factor structure and concurrent validity of this life tasks test (LTT) were examined in a group of 108 policemen. Findings The test measures perceived effectiveness in the following five domains: social life, maintaining mental health, household and finance, giving meaning and maintaining positivity. Cronbach’s α was acceptable for two scales (>0.60) and good for the other three (>0.70). The hypothesized five-factor structure of the LTT was corroborated in a confirmatory factor analysis. Concurrent validity was examined by correlating the scores on the LTT with two established questionnaires, one for personality characteristics and one for work characteristics and work stress. All LTT scales, with the exception of social life, showed significant correlations with social support, workload and personality. Research limitations/implications This provides support for the concurrent validity of the questionnaire. Practical uses and future research are discussed. Practical implications The items are close to everyday clinical practice. It adds valuable information to the commonly used questionnaires on mental health complaints. The test may also provide insight on which life tasks domains are functioning well and which are in need of attention to improve the effectiveness. Social implications In both preventive and curative mental health support, it is important to enhance the effectiveness in life tasks, because it works as a buffer for the adversity of rescue work. Moreover, it gives rescue workers mastery of their personal life, makes self-management stronger, as well as it gives feelings of confidence and positive energy. Originality/value This is the first questionnaire to be designed and implemented for rescue workers.
{"title":"The functioning of rescue workers in life tasks: development of a test","authors":"Heilwine Bakker, M. van Veldhoven, Tony Gaillard, R. Hertogs, Margot Feenstra","doi":"10.1108/IJES-03-2019-0014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/IJES-03-2019-0014","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000Since policemen have a highly demanding job, they have a high risk of developing mental health problems, which may have a negative influence on their private life. The purpose of this paper is to present a new questionnaire for measuring the functioning of rescue workers in life tasks outside of work.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000The internal consistency, factor structure and concurrent validity of this life tasks test (LTT) were examined in a group of 108 policemen.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000The test measures perceived effectiveness in the following five domains: social life, maintaining mental health, household and finance, giving meaning and maintaining positivity. Cronbach’s α was acceptable for two scales (>0.60) and good for the other three (>0.70). The hypothesized five-factor structure of the LTT was corroborated in a confirmatory factor analysis. Concurrent validity was examined by correlating the scores on the LTT with two established questionnaires, one for personality characteristics and one for work characteristics and work stress. All LTT scales, with the exception of social life, showed significant correlations with social support, workload and personality.\u0000\u0000\u0000Research limitations/implications\u0000This provides support for the concurrent validity of the questionnaire. Practical uses and future research are discussed.\u0000\u0000\u0000Practical implications\u0000The items are close to everyday clinical practice. It adds valuable information to the commonly used questionnaires on mental health complaints. The test may also provide insight on which life tasks domains are functioning well and which are in need of attention to improve the effectiveness.\u0000\u0000\u0000Social implications\u0000In both preventive and curative mental health support, it is important to enhance the effectiveness in life tasks, because it works as a buffer for the adversity of rescue work. Moreover, it gives rescue workers mastery of their personal life, makes self-management stronger, as well as it gives feelings of confidence and positive energy.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000This is the first questionnaire to be designed and implemented for rescue workers.\u0000","PeriodicalId":44087,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Emergency Services","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2019-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1108/IJES-03-2019-0014","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45650077","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-08-26DOI: 10.1108/IJES-12-2018-0062
P. Murphy, Paresh Wankhade, K. Lakoma
Purpose The organisational and service delivery landscape of the emergency services in the UK has been rapidly changing and is facing further change in the foreseeable future. The purpose of this paper is to examine recent and ongoing organisational changes in the policy development, service delivery and regulatory landscape of the emergency services, in order to capture the overall picture and potential opportunities for improvement or further investigation. Design/methodology/approach This general review utilises the characteristics of the three domains of a national framework, namely, policy development, service delivery and public assurance, and uses these characteristics as lenses to examine the three main blue light emergency services of police, fire and ambulances. Findings What emerges in the organisational landscape and conceptual maps for the police and even more so for the Fire and Rescue Service, is the immaturity of many of the organisations in the policy and the public assurance domains while the service delivery organisations have remained relatively stable. In the relatively neglected ambulance services, we find the NHS’s recent Ambulance Response Programme has considerable potential to improve parts of all three domains. Research limitations/implications The review is limited to the UK and primarily focussed on England. Practical implications The review identifies opportunities for improvement, potential improvement and further research. Originality/value Although the National Audit Office has attempted in the past to provide organisational landscape reviews of individual emergency services, this contemporary comparative review of all three services using a common model is unique. It provides considerable new insights for policy makers, service delivers and regulators.
{"title":"The strategic and operational landscape of emergency services in the UK","authors":"P. Murphy, Paresh Wankhade, K. Lakoma","doi":"10.1108/IJES-12-2018-0062","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/IJES-12-2018-0062","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000The organisational and service delivery landscape of the emergency services in the UK has been rapidly changing and is facing further change in the foreseeable future. The purpose of this paper is to examine recent and ongoing organisational changes in the policy development, service delivery and regulatory landscape of the emergency services, in order to capture the overall picture and potential opportunities for improvement or further investigation.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000This general review utilises the characteristics of the three domains of a national framework, namely, policy development, service delivery and public assurance, and uses these characteristics as lenses to examine the three main blue light emergency services of police, fire and ambulances.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000What emerges in the organisational landscape and conceptual maps for the police and even more so for the Fire and Rescue Service, is the immaturity of many of the organisations in the policy and the public assurance domains while the service delivery organisations have remained relatively stable. In the relatively neglected ambulance services, we find the NHS’s recent Ambulance Response Programme has considerable potential to improve parts of all three domains.\u0000\u0000\u0000Research limitations/implications\u0000The review is limited to the UK and primarily focussed on England.\u0000\u0000\u0000Practical implications\u0000The review identifies opportunities for improvement, potential improvement and further research.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000Although the National Audit Office has attempted in the past to provide organisational landscape reviews of individual emergency services, this contemporary comparative review of all three services using a common model is unique. It provides considerable new insights for policy makers, service delivers and regulators.\u0000","PeriodicalId":44087,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Emergency Services","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2019-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1108/IJES-12-2018-0062","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45304733","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-08-23DOI: 10.1108/ijes-12-2018-0066
N. Baker, Magdalena Deham
Purpose The authors use a co-auto-ethnographic study of Hurricane Harvey where both authors were citizen responders and disaster researchers. In practice, large-scale disaster helps temporarily foster an ideal of community which is then appropriated by emergency management institutions. The advancement of disaster research must look to more radical perspectives on human response in disaster and what this means for the formation of communities and society itself. It is the collective task as those invested in the management of crises defer to the potentials of publics, rather than disdain and appropriate them. The authors present this work in the advancement of more empirically informed mitigation of societal ills that produce major causes of disaster. The authors’ work presents a departure from the more traditional disaster work into a critical and theoretical realm using novel research methods. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach This paper produces a co-auto-ethnographic study of Hurricane Harvey where both authors were citizen responders and disaster researchers. Findings The authors provide a critical, theoretical argument that citizen-based response fosters an ephemeral utopia not usually experienced in everyday life. Disasters present the possibility of an ideal of community. These phenomena, in part, allow us to live our better selves in the case of citizen response and provide a direct contrast to the modern experience. Modernity is a mostly fabricated, if not almost eradicated sense of community. Modern institutions, serve as sources of domination built on the backs of technology, continuity of infrastructures and self-sufficiency when disasters handicap society, unpredictability breaks illusions of modernity. There arises a need to re-engage with those around us in meaningful and exciting ways. Research limitations/implications This work produces theory rather than engage in testing theory. It is subject to all the limitations of interpretive work that focuses on meaning and critique rather than advancing associations or causality. Practical implications The authors suggest large-scale disasters will persist to overwhelm management institutions no matter how much preparedness and planning occurs. The authors also offer an alternative suggestion to the institutional status quo system based on the research; let the citizenry do what they already do, whereas institutions focus more on mitigate of social ills that lead to disaster. This is particularly urgent given increasing risk of events exacerbated by anthropogenic causes. Social implications The advancement of disaster research must look to more radical perspectives on human response in disaster and what this means for the formation of communities and society itself. It is the collective task as those invested in the management of crises to defer to the potentials of publics, rather than disdain and appropriate them. The authors also suggest t
{"title":"For a short time, we were the best version of ourselves: Hurricane Harvey and the ideal of community","authors":"N. Baker, Magdalena Deham","doi":"10.1108/ijes-12-2018-0066","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/ijes-12-2018-0066","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000The authors use a co-auto-ethnographic study of Hurricane Harvey where both authors were citizen responders and disaster researchers. In practice, large-scale disaster helps temporarily foster an ideal of community which is then appropriated by emergency management institutions. The advancement of disaster research must look to more radical perspectives on human response in disaster and what this means for the formation of communities and society itself. It is the collective task as those invested in the management of crises defer to the potentials of publics, rather than disdain and appropriate them. The authors present this work in the advancement of more empirically informed mitigation of societal ills that produce major causes of disaster. The authors’ work presents a departure from the more traditional disaster work into a critical and theoretical realm using novel research methods. The paper aims to discuss these issues.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000This paper produces a co-auto-ethnographic study of Hurricane Harvey where both authors were citizen responders and disaster researchers.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000The authors provide a critical, theoretical argument that citizen-based response fosters an ephemeral utopia not usually experienced in everyday life. Disasters present the possibility of an ideal of community. These phenomena, in part, allow us to live our better selves in the case of citizen response and provide a direct contrast to the modern experience. Modernity is a mostly fabricated, if not almost eradicated sense of community. Modern institutions, serve as sources of domination built on the backs of technology, continuity of infrastructures and self-sufficiency when disasters handicap society, unpredictability breaks illusions of modernity. There arises a need to re-engage with those around us in meaningful and exciting ways.\u0000\u0000\u0000Research limitations/implications\u0000This work produces theory rather than engage in testing theory. It is subject to all the limitations of interpretive work that focuses on meaning and critique rather than advancing associations or causality.\u0000\u0000\u0000Practical implications\u0000The authors suggest large-scale disasters will persist to overwhelm management institutions no matter how much preparedness and planning occurs. The authors also offer an alternative suggestion to the institutional status quo system based on the research; let the citizenry do what they already do, whereas institutions focus more on mitigate of social ills that lead to disaster. This is particularly urgent given increasing risk of events exacerbated by anthropogenic causes.\u0000\u0000\u0000Social implications\u0000The advancement of disaster research must look to more radical perspectives on human response in disaster and what this means for the formation of communities and society itself. It is the collective task as those invested in the management of crises to defer to the potentials of publics, rather than disdain and appropriate them. The authors also suggest t","PeriodicalId":44087,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Emergency Services","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2019-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1108/ijes-12-2018-0066","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49309696","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-08-15DOI: 10.1108/ijes-12-2018-0061
K. Sienkiewicz-Małyjurek
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the inter-related impact of the antecedents of collaboration on the emergence of relational risk and the impact of relational risk on the effectiveness of collaboration in public safety networks (PSNs). Design/methodology/approach The research is based on desk research and a survey questionnaire. The analysis of the results was based on the modelling of structural equations. Findings The analyses indicate how the antecedents of collaboration influence relational risk in PSNs and the extent to which this risk, in turn, may affect the overall effectiveness of collaboration in the networks studied. The findings identify the antecedents that have the greatest impact on the emergence of relational risks, the drivers of relational risk in PSNs and the impact of the drivers of relational risk on collaboration in the networks. Originality/value The study of relational risk is rarely undertaken with little literature or research in the field of public safety. The added value is the identification of the causes of the relational risk among the antecedents of collaboration in PSNs and the analysis of the impact of this risk on the effectiveness of inter-organisational collaboration.
{"title":"Antecedents of collaboration and drivers of relational risk in public safety networks","authors":"K. Sienkiewicz-Małyjurek","doi":"10.1108/ijes-12-2018-0061","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/ijes-12-2018-0061","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000The purpose of this paper is to identify the inter-related impact of the antecedents of collaboration on the emergence of relational risk and the impact of relational risk on the effectiveness of collaboration in public safety networks (PSNs).\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000The research is based on desk research and a survey questionnaire. The analysis of the results was based on the modelling of structural equations.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000The analyses indicate how the antecedents of collaboration influence relational risk in PSNs and the extent to which this risk, in turn, may affect the overall effectiveness of collaboration in the networks studied. The findings identify the antecedents that have the greatest impact on the emergence of relational risks, the drivers of relational risk in PSNs and the impact of the drivers of relational risk on collaboration in the networks.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000The study of relational risk is rarely undertaken with little literature or research in the field of public safety. The added value is the identification of the causes of the relational risk among the antecedents of collaboration in PSNs and the analysis of the impact of this risk on the effectiveness of inter-organisational collaboration.\u0000","PeriodicalId":44087,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Emergency Services","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2019-08-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1108/ijes-12-2018-0061","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45976651","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-08-05DOI: 10.1108/IJES-11-2017-0059
K. Y. Mojir, Sofie Pilemalm, T. Granberg
Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to identify occupational groups who can act as semi-professional first responders, in order to shorten the response times to frequent emergencies, and second, to identify related opportunities, challenges and needs of training, emergency supplies and information technology (IT) support. Design/methodology/approach A case study approach was taken, combining future workshops, focus groups and an exercise. Network governance was used as an analytical lens. Findings The identified potential groups are security guards, home care personnel, fire services day personnel and facility service personnel. The results show that semi-professionals have a large potential to complement professional resources by carrying out first response or supportive actions vital to the emergency, partly by using already existing cars and equipment. The identified needs include additional basic equipment such as fire extinguishers and first-aid kits, training in basic firefighting, first aid and risk assessment, as well as mobile phone application-based IT support to manage alarms. The major challenges are organisational, economic and juridical, including ambiguities in responsibilities and related insurances. The analysis recognises the new collaboration as a hybrid form of hierarchical government and network governance. Social implications The study suggests that using semi-professional resources can be one of many innovative solutions to recent public sector challenges that have put a huge strain on professional emergency response organisations. Originality/value The study provides a novel view of using semi-professional resources in emergency response, based on the joint perspectives of various occupational groups, and the fire services.
{"title":"Semi-professionals: emergency response as an additional task in current occupations","authors":"K. Y. Mojir, Sofie Pilemalm, T. Granberg","doi":"10.1108/IJES-11-2017-0059","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/IJES-11-2017-0059","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to identify occupational groups who can act as semi-professional first responders, in order to shorten the response times to frequent emergencies, and second, to identify related opportunities, challenges and needs of training, emergency supplies and information technology (IT) support.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000A case study approach was taken, combining future workshops, focus groups and an exercise. Network governance was used as an analytical lens.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000The identified potential groups are security guards, home care personnel, fire services day personnel and facility service personnel. The results show that semi-professionals have a large potential to complement professional resources by carrying out first response or supportive actions vital to the emergency, partly by using already existing cars and equipment. The identified needs include additional basic equipment such as fire extinguishers and first-aid kits, training in basic firefighting, first aid and risk assessment, as well as mobile phone application-based IT support to manage alarms. The major challenges are organisational, economic and juridical, including ambiguities in responsibilities and related insurances. The analysis recognises the new collaboration as a hybrid form of hierarchical government and network governance.\u0000\u0000\u0000Social implications\u0000The study suggests that using semi-professional resources can be one of many innovative solutions to recent public sector challenges that have put a huge strain on professional emergency response organisations.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000The study provides a novel view of using semi-professional resources in emergency response, based on the joint perspectives of various occupational groups, and the fire services.\u0000","PeriodicalId":44087,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Emergency Services","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2019-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1108/IJES-11-2017-0059","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48821611","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-08-05DOI: 10.1108/IJES-05-2018-0028
L. Simmons, Arwel W. Jones, N. Siriwardena, C. Bridle
Purpose Sickness absence is a major concern for healthcare services and their employees with healthcare workers having higher sickness absence rates compared to the general population. The purpose of this paper is to systematically review randomised control trials (RCTs) that aimed to reduce sickness absence among healthcare workers. Design/methodology/approach A systematic review was conducted that aimed to include RCTs with study participants who were employed in any part of the healthcare sector. This review included any type of intervention with the primary outcome measure being sickness absence. Findings Seven studies were included in the review and consisted of one exercise-only intervention, three multicomponent intervention programmes, two influenza vaccination interventions and one process consultation. Three studies (exercise-only, one multicomponent intervention programme and one influenza vaccination intervention) were able to demonstrate a reduction in sickness absence compared to control. Research limitations/implications Due to the lack of high-quality evidence, this review identified that there are currently no interventions that healthcare organisations are able to use to effectively reduce sickness absence among their employees. This review also highlights the importance of a standardised measure of sickness absence for healthcare staff, such as shifts. Originality/value To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first systematic review to synthesise such evidence among healthcare workers.
{"title":"Interventions to reduce sickness absence among healthcare workers: a systematic review","authors":"L. Simmons, Arwel W. Jones, N. Siriwardena, C. Bridle","doi":"10.1108/IJES-05-2018-0028","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/IJES-05-2018-0028","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000Sickness absence is a major concern for healthcare services and their employees with healthcare workers having higher sickness absence rates compared to the general population. The purpose of this paper is to systematically review randomised control trials (RCTs) that aimed to reduce sickness absence among healthcare workers.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000A systematic review was conducted that aimed to include RCTs with study participants who were employed in any part of the healthcare sector. This review included any type of intervention with the primary outcome measure being sickness absence.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000Seven studies were included in the review and consisted of one exercise-only intervention, three multicomponent intervention programmes, two influenza vaccination interventions and one process consultation. Three studies (exercise-only, one multicomponent intervention programme and one influenza vaccination intervention) were able to demonstrate a reduction in sickness absence compared to control.\u0000\u0000\u0000Research limitations/implications\u0000Due to the lack of high-quality evidence, this review identified that there are currently no interventions that healthcare organisations are able to use to effectively reduce sickness absence among their employees. This review also highlights the importance of a standardised measure of sickness absence for healthcare staff, such as shifts.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first systematic review to synthesise such evidence among healthcare workers.\u0000","PeriodicalId":44087,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Emergency Services","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2019-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1108/IJES-05-2018-0028","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44384221","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-08-05DOI: 10.1108/IJES-12-2017-0063
Laurie Gazzale
The purpose of this paper is to explore the connection between motivation and the continued commitment of volunteer firefighters.,This research using a phenomenological approach compares the lived experiences of 17 firefighters from five volunteer fire companies, seeking common themes leading to their longevity with the fire service.,There are commonalities in the reasons the participants joined and remained active in the fire service despite the many hours of ongoing training and commitment and disruptions to their personal lives.,The study focused on firefighters in north central New Jersey and the results might not apply to volunteer firefighters in other regions. The rewards of being a firefighter need to be stressed. The importance of contribution to community early in the firefighter’s career and the evolution to the role of teacher, mentor and protector of other members over time are roles new recruits and existing members identify with that are the core to firefighter commitment.,The findings identify four themes: commitment and giving back to the community, comradery, altruism, and the relationships with family and friends that initially brought the volunteers to their fire company. The findings suggest the importance of these values and the potential to apply them in retaining firefighters.,Evidence suggests that there are distinct reasons that individuals are attracted to the fire service and specific fire companies. Evidence also suggests that the role played by family members influences the level of activity of the volunteer firefighter.,This factor provides evidence behind the motivations of firefighters of diverse ages and backgrounds leading to their commitment to the fire service and their role as volunteer firefighters.
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Pub Date : 2019-08-05DOI: 10.1108/IJES-12-2017-0066
I. Greatbatch, R. Koester, A. Kleinsmith
PurposeIt is a well held belief that the full moon period and the date Friday 13th has an impact on the number of emergency call outs for emergency services. The purpose of this paper is to critically explore that belief. It also examines the versatility and richness of response records, and demonstrates the effectiveness of combining data sets.Design/methodology/approachThe work takes four varied data sets, from four rescue agencies along with the International Search and Rescue Database and compared the average number of calls on a full moon night, non-full moon and full moon period (the full moon night, the day before and day after). The average number of incidents on Friday 13th was also investigated. It uses a statistical approach to test the difference between “normal” dates and those dates traditionally believed to be busier.FindingsAlthough there were differences between Friday 13th, full moon nights, full moon periods and “normal” days, the differences were in general extremely small, not significantly significant and in most cases actually dropped during the supposedly unlucky period. The exception to this is a very small increase in the average number of responses during full moons for most data sets, although this was not statistically significant. This paper concludes that there is no evidence in the data for any impact of the full moon upon rescue teams’ activities.Research limitations/implicationsThis research deals with a small set of responses, from the UK only, and addresses an issue that is clearly not the most pressing. However, it does demonstrate evidenced-based management in practice, in that resources have incorrectly been assigned in the past to these dates.Practical implicationsThis work shows that preconceptions exist within the emergency services and that, without evidence-led management, resources can be allocated on hearsay. This shows that widely available software and techniques can be applied to organisational data and used to make management decisions more appropriate.Social implicationsRescue organisations are almost exclusively charity or public sector organisations, meaning that their budgets are sourced from donations or the tax-payer. Putting to bed misconceptions over resources for certain dates will ultimately benefit society in those terms.Originality/valueThere has been very little work on this phenomenon, although some works on A&E department admissions have taken place. This is the only work to date to combine data in this way for this purpose.
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Pub Date : 2019-08-05DOI: 10.1108/IJES-02-2018-0013
J. Harrison
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to establish if organisational factors are leading to a negative effect on ambulance personnel’s health. In recent years, frontline ambulance personnel have displayed a consistent high rate of sickness amongst healthcare workers within the National Health Service in the UK. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has previously been cited, but organisational factors may be stressors to health. Design/methodology/approach A search of electronic databases MEDLINE EBSCO, MEDLINE OVID, MEDLINE PUBMED, AMED, CINAHL, Web of Science, Zetoc within the time period of 2000–2017 resulted in six mixed methods studies. Hand searching elicited one further study. The literature provided data on organisational and occupational stressors (excluding PTSD) relating to the health of 2,840 frontline ambulance workers in the UK, Australia, Norway, the Netherlands and Canada. The robust quantitative data were obtained from validated questionnaires using statistical analysis, whilst the mixed quality qualitative data elicited similar themes. Narrative synthesis was used to draw theories from the data. Findings Organisational factors such as low job autonomy, a lack of supervisor support and poor leadership are impacting on the health and well-being of frontline ambulance workers. This is intertwined with the occupational factors of daily operational demands, fatigue and enforced overtime, so organisational changes may have a wider impact on daily occupational issues. Originality/value The findings have possible implications for re-structuring organisational policies within the ambulance service to reduce staff sickness.
目的本文的目的是确定组织因素是否会对救护人员的健康产生负面影响。近年来，在英国国家医疗服务体系的医护人员中，一线救护人员的患病率一直很高。创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）此前曾被提及，但组织因素可能是健康的压力源。设计/方法/方法在2000-2017年期间搜索电子数据库MEDLINE EBSCO、MEDLINE OVID、MEDLINE PUBMED、AMED、CINAHL、Web of Science、Zetoc，得到六项混合方法研究。手搜索引发了一项进一步的研究。该文献提供了与英国、澳大利亚、挪威、荷兰和加拿大2840名一线救护人员健康相关的组织和职业压力源（不包括创伤后应激障碍）的数据。稳健的定量数据是使用统计分析从经过验证的问卷中获得的，而混合质量的定性数据引发了类似的主题。叙事综合被用来从数据中提取理论。发现工作自主权低、缺乏主管支持和领导能力差等组织因素正在影响一线救护人员的健康和福祉。这与日常运营需求、疲劳和强制加班等职业因素交织在一起，因此组织变革可能会对日常职业问题产生更广泛的影响。独创性/价值研究结果可能对救护车服务内部的组织政策重组产生影响，以减少员工生病。
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