‘You see a baby die and you’re not fine:’ a case study of stress and coping strategies in volunteer emergency medical technicians

Folwell, Annette L.; Kauer, Trevor

doi:10.1080/00909882.2018.1549745

Cited by 14 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…Concerns with encountering emergency calls with injured children were a recurring theme in different ways. This has been shown in both firefighters (Richardson and James, 2017) and emergency medical technicians (Folwell and Kauer, 2018). It has been postulated that calls with pediatric patients cause first responders to think of their own families and personalize the situation in a way that most other calls do not (Richardson and James, 2017), which makes it understandable why these situations could cause particular anxiety in the men.…”

Section: Qualitative Resultsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Generational conflict, alcohol use and brotherhood: an exploratory survey of a rural career fire department in the Midwest

Miller

Jahnke²,

Singh

2021

IJES

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PurposeThe purpose of this article was to identify factors impacting burnout, resilience and quality of life in rural career firefighters. In addition, sources of stress and the impact of generational differences were explored.Design/methodology/approachAn exploratory cross-sectional survey was conducted at a rural career fire department.FindingsThe findings of the project indicate that the firefighters had high levels of compassion satisfaction (CS) and relatively low levels of secondary traumatic stress and burnout; displayed moderate to high psychological resilience and the majority felt moderate to high organizational support, but there was a noticeable minority who did not feel supported by the department. Findings indicate that organizational support is significantly related to both burnout and resilience. The majority of the men (88.3%) reported moderate to high risk for alcohol-related problems and over three-quarters (78.6%) reported binge drinking behavior in the past year. Qualitative findings highlight generational differences and chain of command challenges as primary stressors.Originality/valueThis is a unique study in that it focuses on a rural career department. What was found were issues similar to those facing urban career fire departments.

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Section: Qualitative Resultsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Generational conflict, alcohol use and brotherhood: an exploratory survey of a rural career fire department in the Midwest

Miller

Jahnke²,

Singh

2021

IJES

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“…Tunaligil et al (2016) found that educational background, working conditions and occupational health history were the primary contributors to burnout in their sample. Additional potential contributors in EMS providers includes patient encounters (Sterud et al, 2008), critical incidents (Alexander andKlein, 2001, Colllopy et al, 2012;Folwell andKauer, 2018, Halpern et al, 2012;Halpen et al, 2012), exposure to routine violence to others (Boyle et al, 2007;Collopy et al, 2012), abuse of the 911 system (Cannuscio et al, 2015;Collopy et al, 2012), high call volume (Cannuscio et al, 2015;Collopy et al, 2012), danger associated with the job (Sterud et al, 20008), workplace violence (Boyle et al, 2007;Bernaldo-De_Quiros et al, 2015;Deniz et al, 2016;Taylor et al, 2016), work schedule (Mahony, 2007), overall work demands (Bria et al, 2013;Folwell and Kauer, 2018;Grigsby and McKnew, 1988), professional educational requirements (Folwell andKauer, 2018, Grigsby andMcKnew, 1988), equipment issues (Bria et al, 2013), lack of resources (Bria et al, 2013;Folwell and Kauer, 2018), work status (Cydulka et al, 1997), low pay (Collopy et al, 2012), sleep issues (Collopy et al, 2012), management (Beaton and Murphy, 1993;Grigsby and McKnew, 1988), administrative and organizational issues (Collopy et al, 2012;Grigsby and McKnew, 1988) and work-home spillover (Bria et al, 2013;Mahony, 2007).…”

Section: Factors Affecting Burnoutmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Volunteers often have other fulltime jobs, and those who volunteer tend to have different personality traits compared to those who do not (Lewig et al, 2007), which in turn impacts how burnout develops and manifests. Commitment to community has been highlighted as one the main traits of volunteer EMTs, whose patients are their neighbors and friend (Folwell and Kauer, 2018). On one hand, this commitment can positively impact volunteers EMT by infusing them with a sense of purpose, but it can also serve as a stressor because of their connection their patients as members of the community (Folwell and Kauer, 2018).…”

Section: Factors Affecting Burnoutmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A New York State EMS provider cannot operate on a regular basis under their New York State certification in New Jersey without obtaining official reciprocity, even though the states physically touch and people regularly commute between the two for work and pleasure. Regional differences can impact EMS providers' behavior (Folwell and Kauer, 2018). In some states, EMS providers are certified, while others are moving toward licensure.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Burnout in emergency medical technicians and paramedics in the USA

Sporer

2021

IJES

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PurposeThis study was designed to examine burnout in US emergency medical services (EMS) providers. It examined burnout scores measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) on a convince sample of US EMS providers as well individual variables associated of burnout in this population.Design/methodology/approachThis study used a convince sample, recruited using social media, of EMTs and paramedics and engaged them in an online survey to obtain information on burnout in this population. The responses were analyzed using stand statistical approached in order to determine MBI burnout scores, as well as which individual variables were influential in contributing to burnout in EMS.FindingsThis study found that most EMS providers had high levels of depersonalization and medium levels of personal accomplishment and emotional exhaustion. Gender differences were found as they were differences based on agency type and response area.Research limitations/implicationsThe main limitation is the nature of sample recruitment. The use of social media for the recruitment of this type of study has not been done before. Furthermore, it is a convince sample. This issue has limited impact on the results and the ability to apply them more generally because despite the convince nature of this sample, the sample is similar to those used in other studies as well as reflect that national statistics on the make of this population. The second major limitation of this study is that it does not include job specific and organization specific factors that may contribute to burnout. The findings for the variables used in this study suggest that future works should encompass these variables as well.Practical implicationsThis study sets a clear foundation for further examination of US EMS providers and burnout. It helps to establish key ideas that can be followed up. Difference and key issues among US EMS providers need to be understood on a more comprehensive level before the assertion that they are similar to EMS providers worldwide. Ultimately, there is a need to develop better screening tools to assess burnout in EMS as well as to develop prevention and intervention programs based on clear empirical data.Social implicationsBurnout EMS provides are a harm to themselves as well as the organization that employ them. The cost of burnout EMS provider crosses over to patient care and provision of care.Originality/valueThis study is one of the first to examine such a large US-based sample of EMS providers using the MBI. Other studies have used smaller sample or other tools to assess burnout in providers

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“…In view of South Africa's socio-political uniqueness, high unemployment and poverty rates, there is a need to conduct research on developing and managing the well-being of volunteers in this country's context. South African volunteers working in high-risk medical care, further highlights a distinctly stressful and psychologically demanding work environment, with high performance demands, yet very limited support [32].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychological Resilience of Volunteers in a South African Health Care Context: A Salutogenic Approach and Hermeneutic Phenomenological Inquiry

Barnard

Furtak

2020

IJERPH

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Volunteering in non-Western countries, such as South Africa, is subject to poor infrastructure, lack of resources, poverty-stricken conditions and often conducted by volunteers from lower socio-economic spheres of society. Sustaining the well-being of volunteers in this context is essential in ensuring their continued capacity to volunteer. To do so, it is important to understand the psychological resilience of these volunteers and the resistance resources they employ to positively adapt to their challenging work-life circumstances. The aim of this qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore volunteers’ psychological resilience from a salutogenic perspective. In-depth interviews were conducted with eight volunteers servicing government-run hospitals. Data were analysed through phenomenological hermeneutical analysis. Findings show a characteristic work-life orientation to be at the root of volunteers’ resilience. Their work-life orientation is based on a distinct inner drive, an other-directedness and a “calling” work orientation. It is proposed that this work-life orientation enables volunteers in this study context, to cope with and positively adapt to challenging work-life circumstances and continue volunteering. The elements of their work-life orientation are presented as intrapersonal strength resources fundamental to their psychological resilience. It is suggested that organisations invest in developmental interventions that endorse and promote these intrapersonal strengths.

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‘You see a baby die and you’re not fine:’ a case study of stress and coping strategies in volunteer emergency medical technicians

Cited by 14 publications

References 37 publications

Generational conflict, alcohol use and brotherhood: an exploratory survey of a rural career fire department in the Midwest

Generational conflict, alcohol use and brotherhood: an exploratory survey of a rural career fire department in the Midwest

Burnout in emergency medical technicians and paramedics in the USA

Psychological Resilience of Volunteers in a South African Health Care Context: A Salutogenic Approach and Hermeneutic Phenomenological Inquiry

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