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Abstract:Globally, a call to address escalating mental health challenges among healthcare workers
is gaining momentum. Paramedics face persistent daily stress, and they also have a
profound sense of duty to save lives, often prioritising others above themselves. Positioned
on the frontline, amid intense interactions with patients, families, and bystanders,
paramedics have faced particularly profound shifts in healthcare delivery shaped by the
COVID-19 pandemic. Using a qualitative phenomenological design, this study explores
private-sector paramedics’ experiences of flourishing in a post-COVID-19 work
environment. A purposive sample of 15 paramedics participated in semi-structured
interviews, enabling an in-depth exploration of their emotional landscapes. Thematic
analysis identified expanding spheres of influence as the overarching theme, spanning
participants’ personal lives, relationships, work environment, professional identity, and
broader societal impact. The findings highlight paramedics’ profound commitment to
saving lives, deeply rooted in their perceptions of and attitudes towards their chosen
profession. This study underscores the multifaceted nature of workplace flourishing in
post-pandemic “new-normal” settings, particularly given the ongoing emotional and
structural challenges paramedics face. Building on these findings, three critical dimensions
emerged as essential to the long-term sustainability of paramedic services in South Africa,
especially in terms of countering the prevailing perception of a limited “shelf life” in the
profession. These include addressing the paradox between saving others’ lives and
preserving one’s well-being, fostering strength-based workplaces that prioritise resilience
and growth over deficit-based narratives, and redefining the roles of sectoral role players
in ensuring the retaining of skills in the healthcare sector. These insights call for a
collaborative effort to reimagine paramedic workplaces to establish thriving and
transformed medical services in South Africa. |
