Experiencing Emergency Medical Services at Hajj

Introduction This article is a first-hand report on the experience of paramedic students providing emergency medical services (EMS) at Hajj, an annual mass gathering of Muslim pilgrims in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Previous quantitative research on Hajj has primarily reported on demographic descriptive data. A qualitative approach to understanding Hajj was not discovered in the literature. This qualitative phenomenological study was conducted to investigate the experiences of EMS students providing patient care at Hajj. Methods This research was conducted using a qualitative phenomenological methodology. Focus group interviews were conducted on Bachelor degree students studying EMS at a public college in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, who were all required to serve as support providers at Hajj as part of their paramedic training. Results Participants described their experiences as honorable and beneficial to their EMS education. Participants encountered medical and trauma patients and this provided opportunities to apply their EMS knowledge and medical skills. They reported an increase in motivation, confidence and ability to think critically. Common challenges included language barriers and difficulty reaching patients due to massive crowds. Participants provided recommendations for improving the EMS provided at Hajj, which were generally focused on increasing utilisation of EMS students, development of standards and scope of practice for EMS at Hajj and a preceptor-training program. Conclusion Attending the Hajj mass gathering was found to have significant educational value for EMS students. Specific recommendations on how to improve this education experience and provided emergency care at Hajj are made. These recommendations hold practical implications for EMS training programs and Hajj organizers.