Assessing Paramedics' Awareness of the Finnish Emergency Response Centre Agency’s Dispatch Processes in Ostrobothnia

Abstract

This research examined the perceived knowledge gaps among the paramedics of the Wellbeing Services County of Ostrobothnia regarding their understanding of the Finnish Response Centre Agency (ERCA) dispatch processes, and how these gaps affect their ability to provide adequate feedback to ERCA. It also aimed to identify potential practical and knowledge-related obstacles that may hinder the paramedics from providing feedback to the ERCA. The long-term goal is to utilize the findings in education and increase paramedics' understanding of ERCA’s dispatch handling process, improving their readiness to provide adequate feedback. The results can also be utilized in improving and building feedback channels between emergency medical services (EMS) an ERCA. The research was guided by the SECI model of knowledge creation, which served as its theoretical framework. The mixed-method research was conducted as a cross-sectional electronic survey study and the results were analysed using both qualitative content analysis and descriptive statistical analysis. As the research was limited to Ostrobothnia region, the findings are applicable only to that area. The results represent the paramedics’ subjective views and therefore do not provide a fully comprehensive or objective representation of the issue. The results revealed that paramedics have several knowledge gaps regarding key aspects of ERCA’s dispatch handling processes, as well as both practical and knowledge related hinders that affect not only their readiness to provide feedback, but also the possibility. The results suggest a need for improvement in education, training, and communication between EMS and ERCA to strengthen paramedics’ understanding of ERCA procedures and to develop more effective feedback mechanisms between EMS and ERCA.