Working near a supervised injection facility: A qualitative study of perspectives of firefighter‐emergency medical responders

Pennington, Michelle L.; Dupree, J.; Coe, Elizabeth; Ostiguy, William J.; Kimbrel, Nathan A.; Meyer, Eric C.; Gulliver, Suzy B.

doi:10.1002/ajim.23224

Cited by 2 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…There is a potential for recall bias as respondents were stationed at Firehall 2 up to 12 years ago. However, participant anonymity and consistency in response themes in our previous report (Pennington et al, 2021) increases our confidence that these findings accurately capture first-responder attitudes toward working near the SIF in Vancouver. In addition, our sample lacked demographic diversity.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 52%

“…Thus, peer support and self-care may be important components to be considered for programming. Furthermore, in our previous qualitative report on firefighter/paramedic perspectives of working near an SIF, first responders emphasized the importance of limiting the duration of their assignment at Firehall 2 to mitigate negative effects on physical and mental health (Pennington et al, 2021). Finally, in a previous study emergency service personnel reported safety concerns when considering SIF implementation due to previous experience with calls involving substance use (Perlmutter et al, 2023).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous research in other substance use-related settings suggests that burnout leads to worse quality clinical care (Oser et al, 2013), so it is important to mitigate these impacts. SIF-related policy should account for the possibility of these occupational hazards; one policy-level change suggested by several respondents in a previous report from this sample (Pennington et al, 2021) was to limit length of assignment near an SIF. In addition, this research indicates that mental health programming specific to overdose response-related stressors and programs to destigmatize substance use and educate on harm reduction could minimize negative outcomes among first responders and increase compassion satisfaction derived from the job.…”

Section: Implications For Occupational Health Practicementioning

confidence: 97%

“…Emergency service personnel also report safety concerns when considering SIF implementation due to previous experience with calls involving substance use (Perlmutter et al, 2023). Conversely, our previous qualitative analyses revealed that some first responders feel that working near an SIF can increase camaraderie among crew members and make them feel like they are making a positive difference (Pennington et al, 2021).…”

mentioning

confidence: 91%

“…First responders commonly report experiencing trauma and grief in response to overdose calls (Shearer et al, 2019). In fact, previous qualitative research with first responders reveals they report increased stress, sleep problems, negative effects on family functioning, and increased drug stigmatization while working near SIFs (Pennington et al, 2021). Emergency service personnel also report safety concerns when considering SIF implementation due to previous experience with calls involving substance use (Perlmutter et al, 2023).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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First Responder Attitudes Regarding Working Near a Supervised Injection Facility: Relationship to Burnout, Secondary Traumatic Stress, and Compassion Satisfaction

Pennington,

Dupree,

Hoffman

et al. 2023

Workplace Health Saf

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Background: Emergency responders are the most frequent overdose responders, however, little is known about the impact of supervised injection facility (SIF) location on first responders. The purpose of this study was to determine whether firefighter/paramedic attitudes about being stationed near an SIF were related to burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction. Methods: Firefighter/paramedics from Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services ( n = 54) completed an online survey. General linear models were used to assess differences in burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction based on attitudes regarding being stationed near an SIF while controlling for occupational stress. Findings: Firefighters with negative attitudes regarding station placement near an SIF experienced more burnout compared with those with neutral/mixed attitudes and less compassion satisfaction compared with those with positive attitudes. There were no differences between those with positive and neutral/mixed attitudes. Conclusions: These findings have implications for education and training of emergency responders stationed near SIFs. They also highlight the need for more research into the effects of and possible clinical opportunities needed to support first responders’ work near an SIF. Application to Practice: While these findings represent early exploratory evidence, increased burnout and reduced compassion satisfaction may be common reactions among first responders who experience negative attitudes toward SIFs. Prevention efforts could incorporate programs to enhance health and well-being of first responders and education regarding substance use and harm reduction, while workforce surveillance for signs of distress or burnout could be implemented to trigger additional mental health services and interventions. while policymakers should remain aware of SIF-related impacts on all stakeholders, including first responders.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 52%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%