Transcript EMT Well Being - www.pccemt.org

EMT Well Being
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Who takes care of us?
The Well-Being of the EMT-1
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Personal health, safety, and well-being are vital
to an EMS operation
Hazards are common
Mental and physical stresses are part of the
job.
Rescuer well being
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Death & dying
Critical Incident Stress
CISM
Scene Safety and Personal Protection
Death and Dying
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Few people have witnessed death
Death is something you will have to face
Think about it ahead of time
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*remember hearing is the last sense to go
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The Grieving Process
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1. Denial
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance
What Can an EMT-1 Do?
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Provide support
Make helpful statements
Be sincere
Understand that grief is a process
Dealing With Family Members
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Be calm
Use a gentle tone of voice
Respect the family’s wishes
Do not create false hope
Signs of Stress
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Sleep problems – nightmares, insomnia, hypersomnia
Headaches
Changes in appetite
Fatigue
Irritability
Anxiety
Mood swings
Isolation
Substance abuse
“Normal responses to abnormal stress”
Stress Management
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Positive and negative ways to handle it
Stress is unavoidable
Understand the effects
Find balance in life
Strategies to Manage Stress (1 of 2)
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Eliminate stressors
Change partners
Stop complaining
Expand your social support system
Strategies to Manage Stress (2 of 2)
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Minimize the physical response by:
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Taking a deep breath
Stretching
Exercise
Proper nutrition
Signs and Symptoms of Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder
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Depression
Startle reactions
Flashback phenomena
Amnesia of event
Critical Incident Stress
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Multi-casualty Incidents (MCI)
Infant and child trauma
Patients that remind us of loved ones
Death or injury of a coworker
Extreme circumstances
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Amputations
abuse
Critical Incident Stress
Management
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Confronts responses to critical incidents
Process designed to help EMS personnel
defuse responses to critical incidents
Composed of trained peers and mental health
professionals
CISM – Components
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Pre-incident stress education
On-scene peer support
Disaster support services
Defusings
CISM – Components
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CISD
Follow-up services
Spouse and Family support
Community Outreach
talk, talk, talk, talk (to people that understand)
Critical Incident Stress Debriefing
(CISD)
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Held within 24 to 72 hours
All information is confidential
CISD leaders offer suggestions for overcoming
the stress
It Works - Cerritos versus San Diego
Stop
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Questions?