Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42547240›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2026

Explorative thematic qualitative analysis of a UK emergency medical systems staff's experiences, perceptions and interpretations of violence and aggression directed towards them.

Nigel Rees, Claire Hawkes, Lauren Williams, Julia Williams, Peter O'Meara

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Nigel ReesPre-Hospital Emergency Research Unit, Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust, Swansea, UK nigel.rees5@wales.nhs.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8799-5335
Claire HawkesFaculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care, King's College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8236-3558
Lauren WilliamsPre-Hospital Emergency Research Unit, Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust, Swansea, UK.
Julia WilliamsUniversity of Hertfordshire, Hertfordshire, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0796-5465
Peter O'MearaDepartment of Community Emergency Health and Paramedic Practice, Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8657-5646

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEmergency medical services (EMS) staff worldwide have long been at risk of encountering violence and aggression (V&A) at work, including threats, verbal, physical and sexual assault, and on rare occasions, fatalities occur. Exposure to V&A can result in stress, fear and burnout. This is an international problem and EMS employers, trade unions and others are working towards tackling it. The aim of this research was to conduct an exploratory qualitative interview study of EMS staff focusing on experiences, perceptions and interpretations of V&A directed towards them.

methodsThis study took place in 2022 in one UK ambulance service covering a population of three million people. Individual, one-to-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with EMS staff via a Voice over Internet Protocol. Data were thematically analysed drawing on evolved grounded theory methodology concepts.

results10 EMS staff were interviewed, and the following categories emerged:

conclusionProtecting EMS staff from V&A is complex and multifaceted, and we have conducted a thematic analysis drawing on evolved grounded theory concepts that proposes V&A in EMS may be borne out of, and sustained, by systemic frustration and gender-based issues. We draw on Dollard's

Indexed as

AggressionAttitude of Health PersonnelEmergency Medical ServicesViolenceWorkplace ViolenceAdultFemaleGrounded TheoryHumansInterviews as TopicMaleQualitative ResearchUnited KingdomEmergency DepartmentsETHICS (see Medical Ethics)Gender-Based ViolenceHealth ServicesMEDICAL ETHICS

Identifiers

PMID42547240
PMCPMC13435987

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.