Workforce Safety and Wellness Flashcards

Flashcards covering vocabulary related to workforce safety, wellness, stress management, and infectious disease prevention for EMTs based on Chapter 2 lecture notes.

Eustress

Good stress that creates a positive response.

Distress

Stress that causes a negative stress response.

Wellness

The active pursuit of a state of good health.

Resilience

The capacity of an individual to cope with and recover from distress.

Infectious disease

A medical condition caused by the growth and spread of small, harmful organisms within the body.

Communicable disease

A disease that can be spread from one person or a species to another.

Pathogen

Small, harmful organisms that can cause disease.

Contamination

The presence of infectious organisms on or in objects such as dressings, water, food, needles, or a patient's body.

Exposure

A situation in which a person comes in direct or indirect contact with blood or other body fluids.

Standard precautions

Protective measures developed by the CDC that prevent health care workers from coming into contact with germs.

Direct contact

Transmission of an infectious agent through physical contact, such as blood splashed into the eyes.

Indirect contact

Exposure through contact with a contaminated object, such as a needlestick.

Vector-borne transmission

The spread of an infectious agent through animals or insects, such as fleas.

Donning

The act of putting on full personal protective equipment (PPE).

Doffing

The act of removing full personal protective equipment (PPE).

General adaptation syndrome

The body's three-stage response to stress, consisting of the alarm response, reaction and resistance, and recovery.

Acute stress reactions

Stress reactions that occur during a stressful situation.

Delayed stress reactions

Stress reactions that manifest after a stressful event.

Cumulative stress reactions

Stress reactions resulting from exposure to prolonged or excessive stress.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

A condition characterized by reexperiencing a psychologically distressing event and overresponding to stimuli that recall the event.

Burnout

A combination of exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced performance resulting from long-term job stress.

Compassion fatigue

Also known as secondary stress disorder, it is characterized by a gradual lessening of compassion over time and a lack of empathy for patients.

Quid pro quo

A type of sexual harassment involving a request for sexual favors in exchange for something else.

Hostile work environment

A type of sexual harassment characterized by offensive behaviors such as jokes, touching, or leering.

Turnout gear

Also known as bunker gear, protective clothing designed for use in firefighting to protect against heat, fire, sparks, and flashover.

Emergency Response Guidebook

A US Department of Transportation publication that lists hazardous materials and proper procedures for scene control and emergency care.

Employee assistance programs (EAPs)

Workplace programs designed to help employees deal with personal problems or substance abuse issues that may affect their job performance.