Natalie has worked as an ambulance nurse in the Rotterdam Rijnmond region for many years. The subject of her research was inspired by her practical experience, “I have noticed that we often respond to calls from people with psychosocial issues. These are people who are lonely or have other mental health problems, and who see the ambulance as their only reliable means of accessing help. Sometimes they call just to chat, knowing what to say to ensure that the ambulance actually comes.”
This is a well-known problem that had not yet been researched in the Netherlands. Nathalie changed that. She examined 3,521 ambulance trips made by 403 frequent callers, looking at characteristics such as urgency classifications, diagnoses, and follow-up actions. She also conducted in-depth interviews with patients. The aim was to identify the extent of the problem and understand why these people call.
The results of her research are revealing: nearly 40% of the trips did not result in transportation to a healthcare facility. Often, these were requests for help relating to psychosocial issues, such as anxiety, loneliness, or limited access to regular care. Common reasons for calling included intoxication, anxiety attacks, COPD-related shortness of breath, and psychological complaints. Many patients view ambulance care as their only reliable access to help.
However, as not all frequent 112 callers require acute medical care, this places additional pressure on ambulance services.
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Human approach
For her research, Nathalie collaborated with partners such as the Municipality of Rotterdam. “My research has been included in the grant application for the programme Getting a Grip on Lack of Insight, in which I am also involved. Together with the police, social services and the municipality, we are researching effective and sustainable solutions for people whose behaviour is misunderstood.”
Her research shows that these individuals do not necessarily require urgent medical care, but rather someone who can see and understand them. Nathalie therefore advocates better guidance and a more human approach. “I gave guidance to a patient with a case management process. A woman called forty times in three months. By implementing minor interventions and connecting her with the appropriate support networks, her visits were reduced to zero.”
Cross-domain collaboration
The Future Makers Awards are presented annually by a jury to projects that involve collaboration between research, education and the professional field on at least one of the four social challenges. There is a prize for each of the four societal challenges that Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences stands for: Future-Proof Economy, Sustainable Delta, Vital Community and Smart & Social City.
The jury considered Natalie's project to be an excellent example of how to address a pressing societal issue: the pressure on healthcare and high healthcare costs. By doing so, the project contributes to a vital community. The jury also praised the cross-domain collaboration with social partners and its potential for the future.
Natalie's graduation research is not the end of her work. Together with the municipality of Rotterdam, she will conduct follow-up research to identify effective, sustainable solutions for individuals whose behaviour is often misunderstood.