The role of the nurse during extrication following a motor vehicle accident in Malta

Abstract

Nurses have longed played an important role in providing pre-hospital care. The study aimed to investigate the nurses' perceptions on the role of the nurse during extrication following a motor vehicle accident in Malta. As this issue has never been studied before locally, an exploratory approach was adopted. Additionally it sought to obtain the nurses' perceptions of their role in providing pre-hospital care in the context of a multi-disciplinary team, identify the skills and interventions used and as a nurse one must be able to perform in pre-hospital care settings to fully participate during an extrication process, determine those factors that inhibit the quality care during extrication and determine those factors that improve the quality care during extrication. Data was collected using a self-designed questionnaire from nurses who were presently working and have been working for more than a year in the A & E Department (n=45). From a sample of 45, 21 complete questionnaires were returned which result as 46.7% response rate. The self administered questionnaire consisted of both open and close ended questions and took about 20 minutes to complete. Quantitative data was used to analyze close ended questions while content analysis was used for open ended questions. Findings show that more males than females were preferred to assist in the process of extrication. However, females had more year of experience in the A & E Department than males. None of the respondents was trained solemnly to provide pre-hospital care. In addition there was no one single skill which all respondents were trained to carry out. All respondents except one stated that part of the role of the nurse is 'to provide patient care'. A mixture of inhibiting and improving factors of the role of the nurse were identified. However, all respondents except one stated that the presence of the multi-disciplinary team during extrication is 'of great importance '. No one rnther than n health core professional was chosen to explain the process of extrication to the entrapped person and to lead the multi-disciplinary team. Although nine respondents stated that they received specific training on extrication, most respondents stated that they felt 'confident' in assisting in the process of extrication. Even though findings can be considered insightful, they must be viewed with caution in the light of various limitations of the study.