Secondary traumatic stress and resilience among EMS
Abstract
Aim:
The current study investigated the positive and negative psychological adaptations that are a result of secondary traumatic stress, and the role of resilience among paramedics and emergency medical technicians (EMTs).
Methods:
Emergency medical service (EMS) providers anonymously completed four validated questionnaires on: secondary traumatic stress, post-traumatic growth, resilience, and changes in outlook. Relationships between these constructs and demographics were explored.
Findings:
Overall, EMS participants reported a higher-than-average positive change in outlook. Resilience (
Conclusion:
Findings demonstrated significant correlations between secondary traumatic stress, resilience, post-traumatic growth, and changes in outlook in EMTs and paramedics.
Emergency medical service (EMS) professionals have one of the most stressful occupations in health care (Cydulka et al, 1997). EMS responders are often exposed to tragic death, suffering patients, and dangerous environments. In comparison with hospital health professionals, emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics are more susceptible to occupational stress. This is as a result of their responsibilities to care for critical patients at unfamiliar scenes, and their increased exposure to traumatic events (Hammer et al, 1986; Cydulka et al, 1989).
While the focus of the present study was based on the United States (US), similar psychological concerns have been reported internationally. Approximately 72% of US EMS providers have suffered from a traumatic experience in their occupation (Oginska-Bulik and Kobylarczyk, 2015). In the UK, 87% of EMS workers have experienced poor mental health at some point in their careers (Clompus and Albarran, 2016); and in Canadian paramedics, 27–28% had considered suicide (Eric, 2014).
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