2)well being of the emt b
TRANSCRIPT
Well Being of the EMT-B
Terminal Illness and Death The Stages of Dying…
• Denial• “Not me”• Defense mechanism• Buffer
• Shock of dying• Dealing with Injury
Terminal Illness and Death The Stages of Dying…
• Anger• “Why me!”
• EMT may be a target• Not personal• Be empathetic• Listen/Communicate
Terminal Illness and Death The Stages of Dying…
• Bargaining • “Okay, but first let me…”
• Postpones death in pt mind.
Terminal Illness and Death The Stages of Dying…
• Depression• “Okay, but I haven’t…”
• Sadness/Despair• Family support
Terminal Illness and Death The Stages of Dying…
• Acceptance• “Okay, I’m not afraid”
• Family support
Dealing With The Dying Pt and Family
• Pt needs• Dignity, Respect,
Privacy, Communication
• Angry family members• Comfort them
• Be empathetic• NO false reassurances• Everything is being
done that can be
Stressful Situations
• Ex.• MCI• Infant/Child Trauma• Infant/Elder/Spouse Abuse• Death/Injury of a co-worker
Stress Management
• Find and outlet!• Recognize warning signs
• Irritability • Inability to concentrate• Difficulty sleeping• Anxiety• Indecisiveness• Guilt• Loss of appetite• Loss of interest in sex• Isolation
Stress Management
• Lifestyle changes• Exercise • Relaxation techniques • Change diet
• Reduce• sugars, caffeine, and
alcohol
• Avoid fatty foods• Increase carbs
Family and Friend Responses to EMS
• Lack of understanding• Fear of separation• On-call=STRESS• Inability to plan • Frustration of wanting
to share
Critical Incident Stress Debriefing- CISD
• “A team of peer counselors and mental health professionals who help emergency workers deal with critical incident stress”
• Within 24-72 hours• Open Discussion• Not investigation/interrogation • Confidential• Evaluate info and give
suggestions• Accelerates recovery process
Elements of Critical Incident Stress Management
• Pre-Incident Stress Education• Familiarizes EMT with nature of the service
• On-Scene Support• ID and support distressed workers on scene
• One-on-One Support• Disaster Support Services• Defusing
• On scene/shortly after• Stop stress response to incident• 30 minutes or less
Elements of Critical Incident Stress Management
• CISD• Follow Up Services
• Days after• Keep eye on providers• Refer to mental health provider
• Spouse/Family Support• Community outreach• Wellness programs
Switching Gears…
Scene Safety
• FIRST concern on scene • Communicable diseases
• “Capable of being spread from person to person”• Often a microorganism • 3 Elements of Transmission
• Source Host Mode of transport• Factors affecting transmission
• Tx mode, type/degree of exposure, host susceptibility, precautions taken
Scene Safety
• Body Substance Isolation-BSI• Blood, ALL body fluids, secretions, excretions (except
sweat)• Regardless of blood content• BSI includes:
• Hand washing• Eye protection• Gloves• Gowns• Masks
Scene Safety
• BSI continued..• Hand washing
• Immediately after touching fluid• After removing gloves• 10-15 second scrub
• Eye protection• Protects eyes from droplets• Removable shields for glasses
• Gloves• Wear them with EVERY pt.
Scene Safety
• BSI continued…• Gowns
• For those intimate splashy moments
• i.e. Childbirth or trauma
• Masks• Airborne pathogens
• mask on pt• Trauma/blood
• mask on EMT• HEPA mask if TB
The Full Body Condom
The Cardinal Rule of BSI
If its wet, sticky, and not yours… DON’T touch it!!
Personal Protection
• Identify potential threats• Electricity• Fire• Explosion• Hazardous materials
Personal Protection
• Protective Clothing• Turnout gear• Puncture proof gloves• Helmets• Eye wear• Haz Mat suits• SCBA
Hazardous Materials
• Staging• Upwind and uphill
• ID possible materials• Placards
• Color/Symbol/Category/ Names/#’s
• Mark off area• Call for help• “Hazardous Materials, The
Emergency Response Guidebook”
Hazardous Materials
• Scene Control• Specialized professionals
• They get paid to glow in the dark so we don’t have to….
Violent Scenes
• ALWAYS controlled by police
• Perpetrator/Family • Mindful of evidence
• Maintain Chain of evidence
• Document… Document… Document…
And that ends chapter 2…