Prehospital patients, irrespective of diseases or trauma, might experience discomfort due to a cold environment and are at risk for decreasing body temperature which can increase morbidity and mortality. Research concerning experiences of being injured in a cold environment is scarce.

The aim of this study was to explore the patients' descriptions of being injured in a cold environment.

Twenty persons who have been injured in a cold environment during wintertime in the north of Sweden were interviewed; 14 of them were treated with active heat supply. They waited on snow or ice for an ambulance between 8 minutes and 4 hours and 10 minutes. The interviews were performed face-to-face and telephone interviews were used when the participants lived far away. The interviews had a storytelling run-up and the participants were asked to narrate the injury event, from just before the event until arrival at the emergency department. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed by content.

In the preliminary results three themes were formulated: (1) waiting for an ambulance; (2) being cared for; and (3) reflecting on changes in life after the traumatic event. The cold environment influenced the experience of being injured in a negative way. More suffering from the cold than from pain of the injury was described. Those who were treated with active heat experienced it in a positive way.

Discomfort from cold became the largest problem independent of their injury classification. Active heat should be used in prehospital care to reduce the negative experiences from cold.