THE WELL-BEING OF THE EMR

Emotional Aspects of Emergency Care

Stressful Situations The EMR will experience personal stress, as well as encounter victims and bystanders under severe stress The EMR will experience personal stress, as well as encounter victims and bystanders under severe stress Multiple casualty incidents Multiple casualty incidents Trauma to infants or children Trauma to infants or children Traumatic injuries Traumatic injuries Infant/child/elder/spouse abuse Infant/child/elder/spouse abuse Death/injury of a co-worker or other public safety personnel Death/injury of a co-worker or other public safety personnel

Emotional Crises Everyone involved in a serious injury, sudden illness, or death will face an emotional crisis. Everyone involved in a serious injury, sudden illness, or death will face an emotional crisis. Everyone is affected by death, and response to a death is highly individualized. Everyone is affected by death, and response to a death is highly individualized. Predictable grieving stages involve: Predictable grieving stages involve: Anxiety Anxiety Denial Denial Anger Anger Bargaining Bargaining Guilt/depression Guilt/depression Acceptance Acceptance

Emotional Crises Steps that will help the EMR to deal with a dying victim and his or her family members. Steps that will help the EMR to deal with a dying victim and his or her family members. Recognizing that the victims needs include sharing, communication, privacy, and control. Recognizing that the victims needs include sharing, communication, privacy, and control. Allowing family members to express emotions, know that its usually not personal Allowing family members to express emotions, know that its usually not personal Listening empathetically Listening empathetically Not giving false reassurance Not giving false reassurance Using a gentle tone of voice Using a gentle tone of voice Letting the victim know that everything that can be done to help will be done Letting the victim know that everything that can be done to help will be done Comforting the family Comforting the family

Warning Signs of Stress Irritability Irritability Inability to concentrate Inability to concentrate Difficulty sleeping/nightmares Difficulty sleeping/nightmares Anxiety Anxiety Guilt Guilt Loss of interest in work Loss of interest in work

What is Critical Incident Stress? A critical incident is a specific situation that causes an EMR to have an unusually strong emotional reaction that interferes with his or her ability to function immediately after the event and later on. This reaction can produce stress called Critical Incident Stress

Critical Incident Stress Strong emotional reaction that interferes with ability to function Strong emotional reaction that interferes with ability to function Can build-up over days, weeks, months, or years Can build-up over days, weeks, months, or years May require counseling May require counseling A critical incident stress debriefing (CISD) is a type of meeting held within 24 to 72 hours of an incident. A critical incident stress debriefing (CISD) is a type of meeting held within 24 to 72 hours of an incident. During a CISD, participants are encouraged to have an open discussion of feelings, fears, and reactions triggered by the incident. During a CISD, participants are encouraged to have an open discussion of feelings, fears, and reactions triggered by the incident. Defusing Defusing Less formal and less structured Less formal and less structured

The Emergency Scene

At The Scene, Need to Evaluate Location of the emergency Location of the emergency Extent of the problem Extent of the problem Apparent scene dangers Apparent scene dangers Apparent number of victims Apparent number of victims Behavior of victims and bystanders Behavior of victims and bystanders Need for additional assistance Need for additional assistance

Ensure Your Safety By Evaluating the present and potential dangers Evaluating the present and potential dangers Wearing proper protective gear Wearing proper protective gear Doing only what your are trained to do Doing only what your are trained to do Summoning additional resources Summoning additional resources

Possible Dangers at an Emergency Scene Crime Crime Traffic Traffic Fire Fire Electricity Electricity Water/ice Water/ice Hazardous materials Hazardous materials Unstable structures/vehicles Unstable structures/vehicles Natural disasters Natural disasters Multiple victims Multiple victims Hostile situations Hostile situations

Safety to Others Ideally, victims should be moved to safety only after they have been assessed and cared for appropriately Ideally, victims should be moved to safety only after they have been assessed and cared for appropriately There are situations in which this won’t be true, but we will discuss this later There are situations in which this won’t be true, but we will discuss this later

Break-out Session Firefighters arrive to help with a motor vehicle collision in which a pedestrian has been struck. The location is a dangerous intersection. The time is rush hour. The problem is compounded by heavy fog and rain. The vehicle has struck a utility pole, resulting in a downed wire. There appears to be two people in the car and one pedestrian in the roadway close to the downed wire. The driver of the vehicle is slumped over the steering wheel. The passenger is screaming for help, and the pedestrian is not moving. Bystanders are gathering; several are moving toward the vehicle to help but do not appear to see the downed wire. How would you handle this situation.

Assignment Read Chapters 3 in the textbook Read Chapters 3 in the textbook Complete workbook Unit 3 Complete workbook Unit 3