Stress and its effects on ambulance, fire, and police personnel.

摘要

The objective of the study was to investigate types of stressors and their effects on ambulance, fire, and police personnel, to assess burnout, and make recommendations for managing stress and resulting symptoms. Such information and recommendations are critical as these populations are required to make quick, life or death decisions and stress can lead to multiple occupational concerns. Emergency medical technicians (EMTs), paramedics, firefighters, and police officers from public and private sectors were asked to complete a demographic questionnaire, an emergency service personnel stress questionnaire, symptomatology questionnaire, and Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS). There were 246 participants; 82 ambulance, 82 fire, and 82 police personnel.;The findings of the study indicated that individuals who are employed in emergency responder occupations are reporting similar levels of stress levels as measured through various symptoms. Maladaptive coping skills were sometimes developed and utilized to handle the stress. The three job types are reporting similar types of operational stressors; however, there is a difference in reporting of organizational type stressors based on job type. In general, organizational type stressors were endorsed more than operational type stressors. Lastly, the level of work stress for these public service populations resulted in burnout for some percentage of participants.