Fixing the wounded or keeping lead in the air—tactical officers' views of emergency care on the battlefield

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify tactical officers' views of prehospital emergency care in the field before an international mission. A qualitative study with a phenomenographic approach based on interviews was used. The result of this study is a set of descriptive categories on a collective level, showing the variation in how the tactical officers perceived the phenomenon of emergency care in the battlefield. The result can be viewed as (1) noncombat-oriented including being able to do one's specialist task, being able to talk with local people, and being able to give first aid, and (2) combat-oriented including soldiers' skills and roles in the unit, being able to act in the unit, and being able to lead the care of injured. These findings are important for officers' preparation for international missions. The interaction between military and medical knowledge on-site care should be developed between the tactical officer and the medical personnel in order to minimize suffering and to enhance the possibility for survival of the casualty.