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Febri Ramdani W, Kurniasih Y, Nur Faizah C. From Uncertainty to Competence: Decision-making Strategies of Volunteer Ambulance Responders in Low-resource Indonesia. Health in Emergencies and Disasters Quarterly 2026; 12 (1) :39-50
URL: http://hdq.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-767-en.html

Background: Volunteer ambulance personnel play a critical role in prehospital emergency care, especially in low-resource settings. However, limited attention has been given to how they make rapid decisions under uncertain and constrained conditions. 
Materials and Methods: This qualitative study employed a phenomenological approach, involving in-depth interviews with 20 experienced male volunteers aged 31-40 years with 4-7 years of emergency response experience in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Thematic analysis was used to explore decision-making processes during emergency responses
Results: Four main themes emerged: Navigating emergencies with incomplete caller information; making rapid decisions despite limited equipment and environmental challenges; managing pressure from families and bystanders; and reflecting on confidence and identity shaped by repeated field experience. Volunteers relied on clinical intuition, teamwork, and improvisation to adapt to unpredictable situations.
Conclusion: Volunteer responders in low-resource environments demonstrate strong adaptive capacity, emotional resilience, and field-based competence in critical decision-making. These findings highlight the need for structured training, institutional support, and policy integration to enhance their role in community-based emergency systems.