Hatid-Kalinga: Exploring Nurses’ Interhospital Transport of Critically Ill Patients via Ambulance

Ambulance as a care setting is characterized by its complexity and unpredictability. Almost every day, individuals witness ambulances on the road, rushing to the hospital with lights and sirens to attend to critical situations and save someone's life. However, there is a lack of awareness regarding what happens inside the ambulance. Moreover, it is not often that people know about the experiences and challenges encountered by the individuals inside these vehicles. This study aims to provide additional knowledge and delve into the different experiences of nurses who transport critically ill patients via ambulance. The researchers utilized a qualitative research design, specifically the transcendental phenomenological method. A self-made questionnaire was used to gather the data by conducting one-on-one in-depth interviews with twelve (12) nurses in four (4) different hospitals in Laguna, who had experienced more than one interhospital transport of critically ill patients and had participated in several emergency life trainings such as Basic Life Support and Advanced Cardiac Life Support. The transcripts were thematically analyzed using the phenomenological method and NVivo software. The results yielded three (3) major themes, including Preparation and Readiness in Critically ill Patient Transport, Navigating Challenges and Adversities during Patient Transport, and Execution and Coping Strategies in Critically ill Patient Transport. It is revealed that nurses usually encounter different barriers and immediately implement coping strategies like prayers as a source of hope. Hospitals that provide interhospital transport services should develop and implement clear detailed guidelines and protocols to ensure the safety of the patient during the transport process.