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The impact of COVID-19 pandemia on ethical dilemmas in prehospital resuscitation practices
, 1, 1
Affiliations- Atatürk Health Care Vocational School, Ege University
open access
Abstract
Introduction: This study aims to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic process on ethical dilemmas experienced in prehospital resuscitation practices.
Material and methods: The study was conducted on 695 emergency medical services employees. A “questionnaire form” consisting of 20 questions developed by the researchers in line with the literature was used as a data collection tool.
Results: In the pandemic period, ethical dilemmas in deciding to perform CPR on suspected or identified COVID-19 patients have increased in 52.5% of the participants, whereas ethical dilemmas in deciding to terminate CPR have increased in 41.3%. Moreover, a statistically significant difference was found between the increasing status of the ethical dilemmas of the participants in making the decision to start CPR in EMS and terminate CPR in the COVID-19 pandemic process and the status of having a diagnosis of COVID-19, the state of having complete personal protective equipment during CPR, and the state of applying advanced airway techniques on suspected or identified COVID-19 patients.
Conclusions: Although the COVID-19 pandemic process has increased the ethical dilemmas of emergency medical services employees in relation to CPR application, such dilemmas do not affect their decision to start or end CPR.
Abstract
Introduction: This study aims to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic process on ethical dilemmas experienced in prehospital resuscitation practices.
Material and methods: The study was conducted on 695 emergency medical services employees. A “questionnaire form” consisting of 20 questions developed by the researchers in line with the literature was used as a data collection tool.
Results: In the pandemic period, ethical dilemmas in deciding to perform CPR on suspected or identified COVID-19 patients have increased in 52.5% of the participants, whereas ethical dilemmas in deciding to terminate CPR have increased in 41.3%. Moreover, a statistically significant difference was found between the increasing status of the ethical dilemmas of the participants in making the decision to start CPR in EMS and terminate CPR in the COVID-19 pandemic process and the status of having a diagnosis of COVID-19, the state of having complete personal protective equipment during CPR, and the state of applying advanced airway techniques on suspected or identified COVID-19 patients.
Conclusions: Although the COVID-19 pandemic process has increased the ethical dilemmas of emergency medical services employees in relation to CPR application, such dilemmas do not affect their decision to start or end CPR.
Keywords
cardiopulmonary resuscitation; COVID-19; ethical dilemma; personal protective equipment; prehospital emergency medical services
About this articleTitle
The impact of COVID-19 pandemia on ethical dilemmas in prehospital resuscitation practices
Journal
Disaster and Emergency Medicine Journal
Issue
Article type
Research paper
Published online
2024-03-21
Page views
36
Article views/downloads
29
Keywords
cardiopulmonary resuscitation
COVID-19
ethical dilemma
personal protective equipment
prehospital emergency medical services
Authors
Ali Ekşi
Süreyya Gümüşsoy
Sevgi Öztürk
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