Introduction: The motorcycle paramedic is a part of the emergency medical services and has
a specific way of working. In Slovenia, motorcycle paramedics are active in three regions. They
work during the daytime and from spring to autumn. Purpose: The thesis presents the operation
of the motorcyclist paramedic in Slovenia, investigates and presents the advantages,
disadvantages, risks, and opportunities of the motorcyclist in the emergency medical aid
system, and puts forward possible improvements for this area in the future. Work methods:
The descriptive method of collecting, analyzing and synthesizing Slovenian and foreign
literature from the field in question was used in the thesis. When searching for relevant
literature, the following databases were used: PubMed, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Google
Scholar, ScienceDirect, CINAHL, and the Slovenian databases COBIB and Digital Library of
Slovenia. Literature was searched by using keywords in Slovenian and English. When searching
for literature, the inclusion criteria were taken into account: qualitative research, quantitative
research, mixed methods research, and professional and scientific monographs referring to the
motorcycle paramedic and their role in the emergency medical aid system. Exclusion criteria
were duplicate articles and literature not related to motorcycle paramedics. Literature in
Slovenian and English under the age of 20 was taken into account. We also conducted five
individual interviews with motorcycle paramedics. The interviews were then transcribed, and
the analysis was based on these transcripts. Results: The advantage of the motorcycle
paramedic in the emergency medical aid system is a shorter access time to the patient compared
to the mobile intensive care ambulances (MICA), but the motorcycle paramedic has a higher
risk of injury while driving to the intervention scene. As a result of a fast intervention activation,
the motorcycle paramedic has limited information about the patient and the situation at the
intervention scene. This requires making quick decisions upon arrival at the scene. Discussion
and conclusion: Motorcycle paramedics are an important part of the emergency medical aid
system, as their activation shortens access to critically ill or injured patients. However, these
employees face many challenges and opportunities that will need to be resolved in the future;
the most prominent being the needed work systematization of the motorcycle paramedic and
expanding the area of operation to the entire country. It is necessary to properly evaluate the
motorcycle paramedic's workplace and systematically take care of the physical and mental
fitness of people working as motorcycle paramedics.
|
