How is the mental health and wellbeing of paramedics, ambulance crews, ambulance volunteers and call-takers affected by the workflow, nature of the work and their changing roles. The result is that ambulance personnel and organizations are confronted with the legacy and negative consequences for mental well-being that their role and the environment in which they work create.2-4 The nature of the work, the uncontrolled and often unpredictable environments, the everyday experience of trauma and the cumulative nature of that trauma all play a key role in the development and impact of psychological distress and psychological injury.3,5 Organizational and occupational factors such as workload, work demands, shift work, limited It has been clearly demonstrated that the time for debriefing or break, the hierarchical nature of supervision and the lack of recognition have as important, if not greater, consequences for the well-being of ambulance crews than the nature of the work itself.3 5 The following excerpt from a submission to the Senate Committee inquiry into the Mental Health and Well-Being of Emergency First Responders succinctly identifies the operational and organizational factors that influence mental health and well-being in the pre-hospital environment.
Impacts and work-related psychological and physical well-being needs
The initial phase involves the anticipation of the event and is characterized as: (1) pre-trauma and preparation for the unknown; early in the management of the event there is a keen sense of (2) responsibility and the associated anxiety and fear of failure. Paramedics use a variety of strategies to cope with the nature of the work they face.
Help-seeking and access to supports
The role of stigma and self-stigma in the use and willingness to access mental health support for paramedics and emergency responders. What other factors influence the use and willingness to access mental health support from paramedics and emergency responders.
Impacts of organisational and systems parameters
The NCAU recognizes that one of the biggest factors affecting the mental health and well-being of paramedics is the ever-increasing demands on ambulance services. How work flow, the nature of work and their changing roles affect the mental health and wellbeing of paramedics, paramedics, volunteer paramedics and call takers.
Systematic literature review search strategies
14 (letter or editorial or note or commentary or case report or protocol).mp. mp=title, summary, heading, table of contents, key terms, original title, tests & measurements]. 34; emergency dispatcher*" or "community paramedic*" or "intensive care paramedic") S8 TI first responders or firefighters or paramedics or police or emergency services.
Description of studies included in systematic literature review
Outline the requirements of the organization and the individual to maintain mental health and avoid PTSD. The CASP tools for qualitative and quantitative studies were used to assess the quality of the studies. Only seven of the 40 studies examined looked at more than one group of professionals first.
Recruitment approach not specified, but part of the sample was selected by the ambulance organization. Part of the sample (28 September) was selected by division commanders who decided that officers would be 'articulate'. Data were collected as part of the demographic questionnaire from a larger cross-sectional survey study.
Participants were a relatively small sample of convenience, which may limit the external validity of the findings.
Peer-reviewed literature - Impacts and work-related psychological and
The qualitative part of the study focused on the nature of the incidents experienced by the ambulance officers. In the qualitative component of the study, participants listed these additional critical incidents beyond those listed in the questionnaire. Some of the participants indicated that it was necessary to hand over all the anxiety to someone who could hold and contain it.
The most embarrassing thing for some of the participants is not that they failed to care or care for the patient, but that they were so overwhelmed by all the impressions from the accident site. 2015) conducted semi-structured interviews with 16 EMS dispatchers to explore their stress levels and general well-being. Exposed to at least one of the critical incidents listed during their career, including the death of a colleague, injury on duty, mass casualty or the death of a child.
Organizational factors are the most researched as they relate to mental health problems and/or well-being.
Peer-reviewed literature - Help-seeking and access to supports
Author, year, country Question 7: Effects of work flow and nature of work on mental health and well-being. Promote and support the good mental health and well-being of first responders throughout their careers. It is a project to assist services to develop appropriate strategies to deal with first responders' mental health and wellbeing.
A special interest group that focuses on mental health and well-being and organizes an annual conference. What current evidence exists on the mental health and wellbeing of Australian emergency service staff. Submission Causes of critical stress, chronic stress and PTSM What's missing / what's the problem.
Shift work can have a significant detrimental effect on the mental health of emergency personnel. 186 Submission Causes of critical stress, chronic stress and PTSD What is missing / what is the problem. The mental health needs of the workforce change as people transition through different stages of their careers.
Peer-reviewed literature - Impacts of organisational and systems
Peer-reviewed literature - CASP quality ratings of primary research and
Little appreciation of the trauma and stress of getting paramedics to the sick. The strongest focus was on the need for training and education and for team building with paramedics. Each critical event was ordered according to the number of times experienced and the paramedic's view of the impact.
Provide a list of steps for help from the initial one of peer support, and the time for this to happen, to formal. Note that the interventions suggested or appreciated by participants differ from the traditional Critical Incident Stress. The validity of the findings would have been enhanced if the analysis had been conducted on transcripts obtained from audio recordings rather than notes taken during the interviews.
The open-ended question included in the survey provided participants with an opportunity to identify occupational stressors not already included in the survey instrument.
Peer-reviewed literature - CASP quality ratings of systematic reviews
Daily problems are suggested to contribute to short- and long-term outcomes regarding functioning and health. As with post-traumatic stress in general, work-related PTSD symptoms usually decrease over time. Selection for potentially stressful occupations may have beneficial effects for the prevention of work-related PTSD, including a healthy work environment, social support from.
Grey literature – Summary of Google advanced search results
NSW Ambulance stated that it provides "evidence-based mental health support and treatment services to employees" (access to lead psychologist, 24-hour chaplain, grievance contact officers, peer support officers, trauma psychologists, promoting messages to staff about the importance of seeking help early). Guidance on support that can be provided to first responders who develop a mental health condition. Create a culture that facilitates early identification of mental health problems in first responders and encourages early help-seeking.
Continue to build an evidence base to better understand the mental health of first responders. Managers are trained in anxiety, stress and depression to support staff struggling with mental health issues. As part of the Ambulance Response Time Rescue Fund, the Victorian Government is providing $2.7 million for initiatives to support paramedic health and wellbeing, including $1 million for mental health training.
Mental health training for all paramedics and pre-employment psychological screening for all new graduates.
Grey literature – Summary of dissertation literature
Do Canadian 911 operators suffer from PTSD symptoms due to their experiences with others' traumatic incidents? What are the types of 911 calls most likely to cause fear, horror, or helplessness among 911 operators. Data shows that with this sample at least, first responders have PTSD symptoms that are as severe as a known group with a diagnosis of PTSD.
Traumatic Growth (PTG), the researcher's intention was to examine the data to reveal pathways to PTG. What first responders' post-traumatic experiences reveal about the current theoretical path to PTG developed by Tedeschi and Calhoun. Conversely, what first responders' post-traumatic experiences reveal about alternative pathways leading to PTG.
Guilt is the theme most frequently mentioned in PTSD: Difficult cases, babies, dealing with family Coping strategies leading to PTSD: Social support and talking issues through and maintaining balance in life.
Grey literature - Table of current research
This is a longitudinal study examining the psychological well-being of paramedic graduates in the first five years of their careers. What is the trauma profile of paramedic graduates and does psychological well-being (including indicators of PTSD, burnout, anxiety and depression), social support and resilience change during the first 5 years of paramedic service. Do changes in job satisfaction, social support, or psychological well-being affect medical care impairment.
This publication is summarized in more detail in Appendices 11, 12 and 13 under Submission 115 to the Senate Inquiry into mental health conditions experienced by first responders, emergency service workers and volunteers. Email: [email protected] Peter O'Meara Currently conducting research on 'Violence against paramedics' funded by the Falck Foundation. This publication is also summarized in Appendices 1, 3 and 5 as part of the systematic literature review.
No studies of suicide, personality, stigma, factors before employment that can affect well-being.
Grey literature (submissions) – What is the problem, what causes the
187 Introduction Causes of critical stress, chronic stress and PTSD What is missing / what is the problem. 190 Introduction Causes of critical stress, chronic stress and PTSD What is missing / what is the problem. 194 Introduction Causes of critical stress, chronic stress and PTSD What is missing / what is the problem.
196 Presentation Causes of critical stress, chronic stress and PTSD What is missing / what is the problem. 197 Presentation Causes of critical stress, chronic stress and PTSD What is missing / what is the problem. 198 Presentation Causes of critical stress, chronic stress and PTSD What is missing / what is the problem.
199 Presentation Causes of critical stress, chronic stress and PTSD What is missing / what is the problem.
Grey literature (submissions) – Programs and resources
Grey literature (submissions) – Legislation, policies, retirement, and
Grey literature – Ambulance service annual reports
