Operational hazards of the national ambulance service in the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Regions of Ghana

Abstract

Pre-hospital emergency care has had rapid progress in Ghana in terms of technology, treatments, staff strength, and fleet management. In Ghana, there is at least one Ambulance with trained Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) to man a station in every constituency. The risk of occupational death is disproportionately high for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel, largely because of the high incidence of transportation-related fatalities. A systematic review of the literature showed evidence that EMTs are susceptible to higher rates of injuries, musculoskeletal disorders, poor sleep, and a high rate of fatigue because of general and Ambulance-specific stressors. The aim of the research was to evaluate the operational hazards and risks associated with the National Ambulance Service. A total of 29 Ambulance Service Stations and 250 Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) were sampled. The primary data for the study were collected from the respondents through questionnaire administration and interviews. The mean age in the study was 27.8±8.21 years. Out of the 250 respondents, 92.4% were aware of the operational hazards associated with their work, 84.7% had experienced biological hazards with 73.7% cuts and wounds constituting the main biological hazards. Sixty-two percent of responders had been injured during operations with back pain being the most identified injury to EMTs. Regular inspection, preventive maintenance of equipment and the ambulance was proposed by EMTs as one of the measures to control hazards. The study showed that the majority of EMTs had knowledge and have experienced exposure to operational hazards. EMTs with diploma educational level were 102.70 times more likely not to experience biological hazards as compared to those with BECE or no formal education (AOR=102.7 (CI: 1.97 - 5335.1), P=0.022). The study concludes that EMTs experience several hazards at their workplace with blood being the most biological substance they are exposed to.