Jones and Bartlett EMT Chapter 2 Workforce Safety and Wellness

Distress

stress that produces a negative response.

Eustress

stress that produces a positive response.

What percentage of first responders have experienced traumatic events on the job?

84%

3 multiple choice options

Socially equitable care is one of the _____ principles

EMS Agenda 2050

____% of EMS personnel are male

75

What can worsen or increase the chances of developing combinations of physical, mental, or emotional health conditions.

Chronic physical, mental, or emotional stress

Correct term when speaking about a patient with a diability

a. Disabled

b. Handicapped

c. Crippled

a.

What are examples of events likely to cause eustress?

Receiving a promotion, taking a vacation, moving, participating in a culture of challenge and debate, undertaking a physical fitness regimen, receiving an award or recognition, giving birth, taking a new certification, taking a new job or joining a new organization.

___% of EMS personnel identify as nonminority

85

What percentage of first responders have recieved a formal diagnosis of a mental health disorder such as depression or PTSD.

34%

3 multiple choice options

Health

A complex interaction between physical, mental, and emotional conditions.

The Grieving Process

1. Denial - Refusing to accept diagnosis or care, unrealistic demands, persistent failure to understand why there is no improvement.

2. Anger, Hostility - Projecting anger on the environment and commonly in all directions. Person lashes out, someone must be blamed.

3. Bargaining - Attempting to negotiate a favorable outcome for good behavior or promising change.

4. Depression - Internalizing anger, hopelessness, and the desire to die.

5. Acceptance - accepting the impending death of patient or family member.

What are the three stages of general adaptation syndrome?

1. Alarm response

2. Reaction and Resistance

3. Recovery or if the stress is prolonged exhaustion

What are acute stress reactions?

Occur during a stressful situation

You feel nervous and excited, and your ability to focus increases.

This focus can be helpful in managing a crisis situation, but if the stress of the situation becomes too great, you are at risk of being caught up in the emotional and physical reactions to stress.

delayed stress reactions

Manifest after the stressful event

During the crisis, you are able to focus and function, but after things have calmed down, you may be left with nervous, excited energy that continues to build and becomes a distraction.

cumulative stress reactions

Prolonged or excessive stress. Can cause physical symptoms such as fatigue, changes in appetite, gastrointestinal problems, or headaches.

post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

May develop after someone has experienced a psychologically distressing event. It is characterized as reexperiencing the event and over responding to stimuli that recall that event. Symptoms include - depression, startle reactions, flashback phenomena, and dissociative episodes

critical incident stress management (CISM)

Was developed to address acute stress situations and potentially decrease the likelihood that PTSD will develop after such an incident

How a person responds to a stressor can depend greatly on factors such as the person's?

overall mood, health, and other sources of stress that may be present at the same time.

Resilience

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

A clue to the management of stress comes from the fact that it is not?

the event itself but the individual's reaction to it that determines how much it will strain the body's resources.

Attitudes towards wellness are just as important as?

knowledge and behaviors.

What are two variables that you have control over in regards to stress as a EMT?

Physical conditioning and proper nutrition.

What do simple sugars do to the body?

stimulates the body's production of insulin, which reduces blood glucose levels.

What are some examples of complex carbohydrates?

Pasta, rice, and vegetables.

What is the most reliable source of long-term energy production?

complex carbohydrates

Consumption of fats should be limited to what percentage?

10%

3 multiple choice options

What fluid does the body absorb faster than any other fluid?

water

What types of fluids slow the rate of fluid absorption by the body and cause abdominal discomfort.

fluids that contain high levels of sugar.

To maintain good health, you should engage in at least ____ minutes of physical activity 5 days a week.

30

What are some tips to help with safe lifting technique.

1. Preplan the move.

2. Bend your legs, not your waist.

3. Keep the weight close to your body.

4. Lift straight up, using your legs, not your back.

The National Sleep foundation and the American Academy of sleep Medicine recommend that adults sleep a minimum of?

7-9 hours per night.

Research has found that half of EMS personnel get less than?

6 hours of sleep per 24 hours and report severe mental and physical fatigue.

What are some of the long term side effects of sleep deprivation?

hypertension, sleep apnea, respiratory issues, diabetes, depression, and other medical conditions.

Evidence-based guidelines for fatigue management have been developed under the US Department of Transportation through the National Association of State EMS, they recommend?

1. Fatigue/sleepiness survey instruments should be used to measure and monitor fatigue among EMS personnel.

2. EMS personnel should work shifts shorter than 24 hours in duration.

3. EMS personnel should have access to caffeine to help stave off fatigue.

4. EMS personnel should have the opportunity to nap while on duty to mitigate fatigue.

5. EMS personnel should receive education and training to mitigate fatigue and fatigue-related risks.

What are some recommendations for individual providers to combat fatigue?

1. Get an adequate duration (more than 7 hours) of quality sleep.

2. Where allowed, take 20-30 minute naps or rest breaks during shift.

3. Be careful about caffeine consumption.

4. Engage in mental exercise, such as having a conversation or playing a game.

What can increase alertness but contribute to cardiac dysrhythmias, seizures, and increased stress and anxiety?

Caffeine.

What is the difference between disease prevention and health promotion when talking about wellness?

1. disease prevention focuses more on medical care and prevention to avoid or reduce the effect of disease on an individual.

2. Health promotion is more focused on personal practices and social habits to improve one's health.

What are some examples of disease prevention?

preventive and postexposure vaccinations, dental hygiene services, disease screening, and education and counseling relating to physical mental and emotional health risks.

What are some examples of health promotion?

education about and support for proper diet, and nutrition, physical exercise, tobacco and vaping cessation, and use of mental health and substance abuse services.

When trying to quit using products containing nicotine, what strategies might help?

1. Create a plan that addresses the challenges that may trigger you to smoke, chew, or vape.

2. Set a quit date, preferably within 2 weeks of setting your plan.

3. Tell friends, family, and coworkers your plan to quit.

4. Talk to your doctor about other resources that may be available to help you quit.

What is an acceptable alcohol consumption in men and women daily?

Women: 1 drink per day

Men: 2 drinks per day

What is considered binge drinking in men?

5 or more drinks during a single occasion.

What is considered heavy drinking in men?

15 or more drinks per week.

What is considered binge drinking in women?

4 or more drinks during a single occasion.

What is considered heavy drinking in women?

8 or more drinks per week.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), alcohol use causes how many deaths per year in the United States? How much economic cost?

88,000 deaths / $200 billion

What types of foods or drinks are quickly absorbed and converted to fuel by the body?

sugar, fats, sodium and alcohol.

Compassion Fatigue

A stress disorder characterized by gradual lessening of compassion over time.

What is the recommended amount of physical activity each week to reduce stress?

150 min per week, including cardiovascular effort.

What are some ways to help increase resilience?

1. Eat a healthy and well-balanced diet.

2. Ensure a minimum of 7 to 9 hours of sleep per day.

3. Strengthen positive relationships with close family and friends.

4. Build relationships with peers and colleagues.

5. Incorporate daily stretching, movement, and exercise.

6. Build habits of mindfulness and positivity.

What is generally the best way to transport a child?

With their parent and any other comfort they may need

Burnout

First coined in the 70's to describe exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced performance. Affects the wellbeing of the EMT, colleagues, and patients through increased error and decreased performances.

What is a key goal of workforce safety and wellness?

To set yourself up for success by creating conditions that can help you better deal with stress in both the short term and the long term.

After a major incident, within how many hours are debriefing hours typically held?

24-72

3 multiple choice options

What are some Factors that influence how a patient reacts to the stress of an EMS incident

- Socioeconomic background

- Fear of medical personell

- Alcohol or substance use disorders

- Hx (history) of chronic disease

- Mental disorders

- Reaction to medications

- Age

- Nutritional status

- Feelings of Guilt

- Past experience with illness or injury

Suicide

10th leading cause of death in the US, and the rate among emergency medical responders is much higher.

Wellness

the active pursuit of a state of good health. It is multifaceted (ex. just working out is important but by itself it is not enough to ensure wellness for an EMS provider)

What percentage of the total cost of alcohol abuse is attributed to binge drinking.

75%

3 multiple choice options

According to the CDC, drug abuse costs the United States more than?

$190 billion annually in lost work productivity, health care, and crime.

____________ is any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of sexual nature...

Sexual Harassment

What are the two different types of sexual harrasement?

quid pro quo - the harasser requests sexual favors in exchange for something else such as a promotion.

Hostile environment - jokes, touching, leering, requests for a date, talking about body parts.

Drug and alcohol use causes

an increase in accidents and tension among coworkers. BUT Most importantly can lead to poor treatment decisions

A drug/alcohol related arrest can result in

revocation of some or all driving privilege and in some states a loss of emt licensure.

An EMT is at risk for

Sprains, strains, exposure to blood and body fluids and falls.

An EMT's first priority is

Personal safety

It may NOT be your responsibility to ensure traffic flow, vehicle stabilization, and similar tasks but you ARE responsible

to see that it has properly been accomplished

While working at night...

Be sure to have plenty of light as poor lighting increases risk of injury to you and patient. AS WELL AS wearing a reflective vest or clothing to make yourself more visible

Upon arrival to a hazardous materials incident,

You should look at the scene to see any labels, placards, and identification numbers from a distance.

Patients involved in a hazardous materials incident

should not be cared for until they move away from the scene and are decontaminated or the scene is safe.

General Guidelines to follow on a hazmat scene

- Do NOT enter the scene if there is evidence of hazardous materials

- REMAIN UPHILL AND UPWIND

- Keep your distance, this may mean retreating

- Quickly contact dispatch

- Request additional resources

- Do not enter the scene until instructed

What should you do if there are downed power lines?

Mark off a danger zone around downed power lines

Lightning

If you are caught in the open make yourself as small as possible. stay away from single trees

Smoke typically

Irritates the respiratory system upon contact. Most particles are trapped in the upper respiratory system, many smaller particles enter the lungs.

Breathing concentrations of carbon dioxide greater than _________ will result in death within minutes

10%-12%

3 multiple choice options

What is a team in the concept of EMS?

a group of health care providers who are assigned specific roles and are working interdependently in a coordinated manner under a designated leader.

What is a infectious disease?

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

Infection

The abnormal invasion of a host or host tissues by organisms such as bacteria, viruses, or parasites, with or without signs or symptoms of disease.

Pathogen

A microorganism that is capable of causing disease in a susceptible host.

Contamination

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

Exposure

A situation in which a person has had contact with blood, body fluids, tissues, or airborne particles in a manner that suggests disease transmission may occur.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Protective equipment that blocks exposure to a pathogen or a hazardous material.

Transmission

The way in which an infectious disease is spread: contact, airborne, by vehicles, or by vectors.

Direct Contact

Occurs when an organism is moved from one person to another through touching without any intermediary. (ex. driver of a vehicle that has hepatitis B transferring the infection to a EMT that has a small unnoticed cut on her own arm.)

Bloodborne pathogens

Pathogenic microorganisms that are present in human blood and can cause disease in humans. These pathogens include, but are not limited to, hepatitis B virus and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is caused by HIV, which damages the cells in the body's immune system so that the body is unable to fight infection or certain cancers.

Foodborne transmission

The contamination of food or water with an organism that can cause disease.

The Black death in Europe and Asia in the middle ages killed more than 25 million people. This bacterial disease was caused by?

Infected fleas that live on rats. As the rats moved, so did their fleas, carrying the bubonic plague.

Rabies and Lyme's disease are caused by what form of transmission?

Vector-Borne transmission.

What organization develops and publishes guidelines concerning reducing hazards in the workplace?

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

What does OSHA require EMT's to be trained in handling?

Bloodborne pathogens.

What organization developed a set of standard precautions for health care workers used in treating patients?

CDC.

With the idea in mind that everyone could potentially be infected in the health care setting, what procedures must healthcare workers use?

Infection control procedures.

What is a PAPR?

Powered Air Purifying Respirator.

Note- Typically only deployed to special response teams in EMS systems rather than being available on every ambulance due to being expensive, bulky to store, requires extra training

What is the term for putting on Personal Protective Equipment?

Donning

What is the term for taking off personal protective equipment?

Doffing

What are the most common components of PPE?

A mask, eyewear or full face shield, gloves, and gown.

What is the simplest yet most affective way to control disease transmission?

Proper handwashing.

When washing your hands, rub your hands together for at least?

20 seconds to work up a lather.