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Being A Paramedic Essay

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Having a career in Emergency Medical Services can be incredibly rewarding but is also a very demanding job. Many of the situations a paramedic faces can lead to increased stress and lowered mental health, ultimately leading to the downfall of a paramedic. The expectation of a paramedic is to be in good physical shape not only to lift patients but to be able to withstand the mental pressures that come with the job. Paramedics must have good physical well-being as it plays a vital role in a paramedics health and wellness. Paramedics continue working on these aspects for their entire life, otherwise it can lead to increased stress, increased burn-out rates and mental health issues. Not only will it be mentally draining but being a paramedic takes …show more content…

Being mentally and physically ready to work everyday will help a paramedic give the best care to the patients. Not only will this provide the patient with proper care but it will also increase the longevity of a paramedics career.
Working as a paramedic will take a toll on mental health. Having certain personality traits will be beneficial within the career. A paramedic must have the ability to remain calm and collected as they will face many stressful situations. Paramedics need to be perfectionists as one error can change the outcome of a patient's life. Having a compulsive trait is beneficial because making decisions on the fly is important as there are only seconds for each decision to be made. Paramedics need to be risk takers because they are working in situations that can put them in harm's way. Lastly, paramedics need to have a rescue personality. The goal of the job is to save another person therefore being willing to put someone else’s needs above yours is a must. Having these traits as a paramedic beforehand will greatly improve their mental health as it takes away some of the day to day stress. Without these traits there will be added stressors. In Coffey et al., 2016 paper …show more content…

The goal of Coffey et al., 2016 article was to create awareness about the physical demands that come with being a paramedic. It is good for a paramedic continuing education to partake in this kind of professional development as it gives insight into the life of a paramedic. Paramedics are routinely exposed to physical demands such as lifting, lowering, carrying, pushing and pulling. This is why keeping good physical health is a must for the job. Paramedics need to be physically ready to assist with moving the patients and cannot do their job without this ability. When a paramedic is on and off the clock, taking care of their own body should be a priority. If the caregiver is unwell, the standard of care will be lower and consequently both the paramedic and the patients will have to deal with the repercussions. According to Coffey et al., 2016, the most recent data indicates that the injury rate of a paramedic is more than seven times higher than that of the average working population. Paramedics are at a huge risk for injuries acquired while working since their job is so physical. To help reduce this it is important that paramedics practice proper lifting techniques and maintain physical fitness. Those two things can greatly reduce the number of workplace injuries so it is highly important for practitioners to make time for their physical health. At the provider level,

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