‘You see a baby die and you’re not fine:’ a case study of stress and coping strategies in volunteer emergency medical technicians

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the experiences of volunteer Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) with respect to stress and coping strategies they employ. Research has shown negative implications of work stress in high-reliability organizations, like paid Emergency Medical Services (EMS). While most first responders in the United States are volunteers, little research has examined how their work stress experiences may differ from their paid counterparts. Twenty-five EMTs working in volunteer fire departments participated in one-on-one interviews. Using an inductive approach, four stressors were identified: types of calls, extensive sense of duty, competency concerns, and knowing the patient. Theory of Conversationally Induced Reappraisals explains the effectiveness of the Formal, Informal, and Escape Coping Strategies identified by participants that mitigated stress. This study concludes with recommendations for volunteer EMS organizations: (a) financial assistance for Employee Assistance Programs, (b) social events that encourage communication and interaction; (c) recommended/sanctioned time off, and (d) a clear recruitment/retention plan.

KEYWORDS:

• Volunteers
• emergency medical technicians
• stress
• coping strategies

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Annette Folwell http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4128-4658

Notes

1 Interview questions are available by contacting the first author.

2 ‘Toned out’ refers to radio tones used to notify first responders of an emergency. When 911 calls are fielded, a dispatch center will send a unique set of tones to first responders’ radios.