Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/11499/9415
Title: Work-related injuries among emergency medical technicians in Western Turkey
Authors: Yılmaz, Atakan
Serinken, Mustafa
Dal, O.
Yaylacl, S.
Karcioglu, O.
Keywords: accident
ambulance
paramedic
work-related
adult
classification
female
human
interview
male
Occupational Injuries
qualitative research
rescue personnel
Turkey
young adult
Adult
Emergency Medical Technicians
Female
Humans
Interviews as Topic
Male
Qualitative Research
Young Adult
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Abstract: Objectives Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics are at serious risk for work-related injuries (WRIs) during work hours. Both EMTs and paramedics have higher WRI rates, according to the literature data. This study was designed to investigate causes and characteristics of WRIs involving EMTs and paramedics staffed in Western Turkey. Methods All health care personnel staffed in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in the city were interviewed face-to-face in their off-duty hours to inform them about the study. Excluded from the study were those who declined to participate in the study, those who were not on duty during the two-month study period, and those who had been working in the EMS for less than one year. The subjects were asked to answer multiple-choice questions. Results A total of 163 personnel (117 EMTs and 46 paramedics) comprised the study sample. Eighty-three personnel (50.9%) were female and mean age was 29.7 years (SD=8.4 years). The most common mechanisms of WRI, as reported by the personnel, were motor vehicle accidents (MVAs; 31.9%), needlestick injuries (16.0%), ocular exposure to bodily fluids (15.4%), and sharp injuries (9.8%), respectively. Needlestick injuries commonly occurred during intravenous line procedures (59.4%) and inside the cruising ambulance (n=20; 62.5%). Working inside the cruising ambulance was the most commonly accused cause of the WRI (41.3%). Conclusion Paramedic personnel and EMTs are under high risk of WRI. Motor vehicle accidents and needlestick injuries were the most common causes of WRI. Strict measures need to be taken to restructure the interior design to protect personnel from all kinds of WRIs. © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2016.
URI: https://hdl.handle.net/11499/9415
https://doi.org/10.1017/S1049023X16000741
ISSN: 1049-023X
Appears in Collections:PubMed İndeksli Yayınlar Koleksiyonu / PubMed Indexed Publications Collection
Scopus İndeksli Yayınlar Koleksiyonu / Scopus Indexed Publications Collection
Tıp Fakültesi Koleksiyonu
WoS İndeksli Yayınlar Koleksiyonu / WoS Indexed Publications Collection

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