Emergency medical services (EMS) personnel encounter unique safety challenges when delivering patient care. Using focus groups and individual interviews with EMS medical directors and managers in Finland, this qualitative study explored perceptions around patient collaboration to improve safety in EMS. Participants agreed that patient safety is an organizational responsibility and management should provide EMS patients with opportunities to speak up as well as address barriers to voicing concerns.

Safety problems in prehospital care can lead to adverse events. This qualitative study explored patients’ perceptions of safety in emergency medical services (EMS). While patients generally felt safe during their EMS encounter, lack of communication or professionalism among EMS personnel may hinder their sense of safety.

This literature review found that nurses learn about patient safety through formal curricula and through their clinical experiences. However, the evidence that curricula were effective at improving patient safety knowledge was limited.