CISM in the Classroom: Episode 165
I started to talk a little about it last night, but tonight I am going to talk about stress in a little bit different way. In last nights edition, I spoke about the development of stress through our constant work schedules. Tonight I am going to talk about the actual stress of our jobs. Emergency services all around has a difficult task of going into places that most people would like to block from their heads. I'm sure you've heard it, it has been in every emergency services type movie, "we are the ones running into places other people are running out of" (or at least some variation). Those that say that line are right though. My brethren in the police, fire, and EMS agencies continue to experience things to the likes most of us never want to see again. We see individuals taking the lives of others in a movie theater in Colorado, or another that walks into a kindergarden and takes the lives of several innocent children. The pictures we see from the media are brutal. The lines of tactical teams entering a facility, and children be taken to ambulances, or pictures from the Oklahoma City bombing at the Federal Building that has an officer carrying a lifeless child. But those are images that are seen on the media, just think of the impact those images have on those that are entering that theater for the first time, or those that are carrying the lifeless children.
Critical incident stress is an unique stressor that affects those in major situations such as the military, fire service, police departments, or EMS agencies. (there are others, but these are the ones I am talking about tonight) These scenes are imprinted onto the circuit boards inside our head without a delete key strong enough to erase the impact they made.
Now, this week on the EMS Educast Mini Edition (Link to Show) I speak to the impact of these incidents for those that are just learning the profession. Those that are still learning how to handle a non-rebreather and a nasal cannula. Those that haven't learned the stress release mechanisms of long standing providers. Remember back to the day that you first joined the fire service, or your first shift on the patrol car, or in the EMS unit...were you ready to handle an Aurora Colorado sized incident. What about now? Now think about if you were still learning, how would you handle the Oklahoma City bombing?
As educators we must know that at any given time our students may face a call that hits brainwaves in a negative light. In the classroom we try to ensure our students have all the knowledge and skills to be successful in their chosen profession, but do we make sure they have the mental support necessary to get them over a critical incident.
Listen to this weeks episode of the EMS Educast Mini Edition at www.emseducast.com and find out ways to plug CISM in the Classroom.
If you have any topics you would like to see on the EMS Educast Mini Edition please do not hesitate to contact me.
Take Care and Stay Safe!!!
The Combomedic.
www.twitter.com/dsblev
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