Utvikling av yrkesetisk kompetanse i ambulansefag: Fra klasserom til pasientmøter

[Developing professional ethical competence in ambulance services: From classroom to patient encounters]

Abstract

This study aims to provide insight into apprentices’ perceptions of ethical challenges in ambulance work, their experiences with ethics training, and how ethical competence can be strengthened throughout the educational pathway. Ambulance workers must be capable of providing emergency medical treatment, transporting patients, communicating clearly, acting with empathy, managing stress, and making ethically sound decisions under challenging conditions and time pressure. Professional ethical competence is crucial for handling ethically challenging situations. The data material was generated through interviews with ten apprentices during the period 2021–2023. The study reveals that apprentices experience highly demanding emergency situations where ethics and communication play a central role. Despite their young age, they consider themselves capable of handling the tasks and challenges they face. They possess valuable competencies that must be made visible, acknowledged, recognised, and utilised. Ethical competence develops when they communicate in demanding situations, engage in authentic scenarios followed by reflection, and are challenged to act and make decisions in demanding training situations. The study provides insight into the apprentices’ perspectives – knowledge that can support vocational teachers and instructors in facilitating the development of professional ethical competence in ambulance care.