EMS Workplace Safety & Wellness

Acute stress reactions

Reactions to stress that occur during a traumatic situation

Aerosol-generating procedure

Treatments that increase the risk for transmission of infections that are spread through the air or by droplets

Compassion fatigue

A stress disorder characterized by gradual lessening of compassion over time

Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM)

A process that addresses responses to critical incidents and defuses them, directing emergency services personnel toward physical and emotional equilibrium.

Eustress

A beneficial response to a stressor

General Adaptation Syndrome

The body’s response to stress begins with an alarm response, followed by a stage of reaction and resistance, and then recovery or, if the stress is prolonged, exhaustion

Hepatitis

Inflammation of the liver, usually caused by a viral infection, that causes fever, loss of appetite, jaundice, fatigue, and altered liver function

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

The federal regulatory compliance agency that develops, publishes, and enforces guidelines concerning safety in the workplace