PP12 Ambulance staff decision-making as a form of risk work

<h3>Background</h3> Ambulance staff play a crucial role in decision-making in care homes. When deciding how best to respond to a deterioration in a resident’s health, ambulance staff consider a range of factors. This includes concerns about what is in the resident’s ‘best interest’ as well as concerns about the personal and professional implications of decision-making. Research into this area is growing, but theoretical engagement is lacking. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore ambulance staff experiences of decision-making in care homes through the lens of ‘risk work’, to better understand the ways ambulance staff assess, ‘weigh-up’ and manage different forms of risk. <h3>Methods</h3> Data is being collected via online semi-structured interviews with ambulance staff working in a range of roles. Interviews cover experiences of decision-making in care homes and reflection on vignettes, which have been designed through stakeholder engagement. Data is being analysed both inductively to ground results in participants experiences and deductively to explore the applicability of the concept of ‘risk work’. <h3>Results</h3> This paper explores ambulance staff decision-making in light of the three central components of ‘risk work’. These are: the different forms of ‘risk knowledge’ that ambulance staff draw upon; the range of ‘risk interventions’ that ambulance staff undertake in an attempt to minimise risk; and the ‘social relations’ which shape ambulance staff decision-making <h3>Conclusion</h3> Understanding the work of ambulance staff as a form of ‘risk work’ can have practical implications. Highlighting factors that make decision-making feel more or less ‘risky’ can be beneficial for staff, managers and policy makers. Whilst this study focuses on decision-making at times of deterioration in care homes, the concept of ‘risk work’ may be applicable to other forms of work undertaken by ambulance staff. Further research could assess the way risk is managed across health and social care organisations.