Conducting research in emergency settings is crucial for advancing knowledge and improving the management of acutely ill patients. Nonetheless, the urgent and complex nature of these situations presents significant ethical challenges for researchers who handle emergent cases. This study sought to explore the attitudes of healthcare providers (HCPs) in Jordan regarding exceptions from informed consent (EFIC) and their willingness to enroll patients in emergency research. A quantitative study was carried out over a six-month period in 2019 using a face-to-face questionnaire administered by an interviewer. The survey assessed items related to the EFIC policy and evaluated healthcare providers’ overall willingness to participate in emergency research or to support the participation of their family members. A total of 151 healthcare providers (HCPs) from emergency departments (EDs) in Jordan were recruited for the study. Participants generally expressed a positive attitude toward emergency research; 21.9% reported prior experience conducting such research, while 12.3% had related publications. Concerning the EFIC policy, most respondents disagreed with the majority of the items assessed. Limited support for EFIC was observed when participants were asked about enrolling family members or the general public in emergency research; however, respondents were generally willing to accept EFIC for their own participation. No significant differences (P = 0.37) were found among HCPs from different professional backgrounds regarding attitudes toward EFIC or willingness to participate in emergency research. Overall, healthcare providers expressed general support for emergency research, despite widespread disagreement with specific EFIC provisions. Consequently, future studies are recommended to compare the attitudes of well-informed participants from advanced institutions with the current baseline findings, in order to minimize confounding factors and gain a clearer understanding of perspectives on emergency research and EFIC. Moreover, establishing effective multidisciplinary communication channels between researchers and policymakers could facilitate collaborative research while promoting innovative and high-quality emergency care delivery.
