Determining the level of resilience amongst critical care transport professionals in a fixed-wing air ambulance environment

Introduction: Critical care transport within a fixed-wing air ambulance environment is characterised by its demanding and unpredictable nature, distinguishing it from conventional hospital environments. Critical care transport professionals must exhibit resilience to effectively fulfil their responsibilities and excel under stressful conditions. This study examined the level of resilience amongst flight nurses, doctors, and paramedics operating in a fixed-wing air ambulance environment in Africa. Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted using a self-administered survey incorporating the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-25). Results: A total of 48 responses were collected in 2024 from five fixed-wing air-ambulance organisations based in South Africa. Seven constructs related to resilience were measured: hardiness, coping, adaptability and flexibility, meaningfulness and purpose, optimism, emotion regulation, and cognition and self-efficacy. Conclusion: The findings suggest that participants generally demonstrated a high level of resilience. Mean scores on the CD-RISC subscales ranged from 6.52 to 22.81, with standard deviations ranging from 1.07 to 3.44. No significant difference in resilience levels was observed between teams comprising mixed professions and those of the same profession. However, optimism was more pronounced in mixed-profession teams than in same-profession teams.