Australian Paramedics - Essay Example

Australian Paramedics Student Name Institutional Affiliation Australian Paramedics Paramedics are human beings too and can only be capable of functioning under the conditions expected by paramedics. As such, it is logical to expect them to work as good Samaritans. This is an especially significant issue to remember especially since paramedics also suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Owing to this, expecting so much from them at a time when it is expected that people will be going through emotional and physical challenges is an uninformed expectation (Dowson & Zee, 2005). Disasters can come in different forms including natural disasters, manmade disasters and medical disasters. Paramedics are likely to face different types of disasters including the damage they cause to those who have been affected. They deal with everything from broken limbs, epidemics, dehydrated individuals to recovering and transporting dead bodies. Australia has not fallen victim to horrible disasters of late, hence, if one were to happen, paramedics would be dealing with something new that they may have never experienced before. Effective response during disasters is dependent on a front line health work force that is prepared, motivated, skilled and available. Hence, the potential barriers to their effectiveness should be addressed if they are to sustain and improve on their effectiveness. Participation of paramedics in Australia is prompted by and professional and ethical duty (Jansen et al., 2003). The professional part is taken care of in studies and as the paramedics develop greater prowess, skills and knowledge in dealing with natural disasters. The paramedic already knows the mechanics of dealing with a disaster. Hence, rather than focusing on their being more knowledgeable, the focus should be on their developing psychological endurance and maintaining their ethical standards. Hence, a good Samaritan level of work is adequate without putting too much pressure on paramedics during disasters. When there is a disaster, paramedics too are subject to similar problems such as losing family members, damage to property, injuries confusion, grief, and emotional issues. While people have time to recover from the emotional turmoil that disasters put them in. Paramedics are not just expected to but it is also their duty to work more during these times (Kohn, Corrigan & Donaldson, 2000). Another skill that is required and that will be fulfilled by paramedics functioning at a good Samaritan level is maintaining communications with relevant individuals. For instance, if they are headed into a building that is unstable. They can communicate with firemen inside and together they can find a way to get the paramedics to the injured individuals. Paramedics working at a good Samaritan level will have less pressure to conform to an expectation to be good at everything and they can focus their energies on being prepared for the unexpected. This is because disasters result in lack of personnel and health personnel who were previously prepare to take charge of a particular situation may have to reach further including parameters that they were not dealing with before (CAA, 2007). For instance, a paramedic whose work has been restricted to ambulance responses may have to fly to get to a particular location. even though they may be accustomed to working in a moving vehicle, they will have to work in airplane. Since there is rarely any time to prepare for disasters, they need to be able to deal with the effects of the change without negative effects on them. Paramedic services in Australia provide a unique intersection between disaster management systems and healthcare. Without an effective management system, the effective of paramedic activity in Australia will be ineffective. Pre-hospital disaster management is the major role of paramedics in Australia and it should be specialized and recognized as a discreet activity that is complementary to the emergency role held by other health services in the nation (Allen et al. 2001). Emergency management would be overwhelmed and somewhat ineffective if they were to function without paramedics. It is therefore essential to ensure that paramedics deal with as much as they can to avoid being overwhelmed by their roles (Frakes & Kelly, 2007). Good Samaritan level paramedics are more effective in this respect because they are able to work and keep personal pressures out of work. The public too watches paramedics and keeps a subconscious record of what they see. Effectiveness of emergency response services in the nation does not only ensure and promote safety but it also increases the satisfaction at individuals have with the government of the day. A paramedic working at the good Samaritan level is likely to be more effective at work because they will not wash out due to stress at work. As the public sees this, they will have more confidence in emergency response systems. There will also be more people aspiring to be paramedics increasing the number of paramedics in Australia. Management of paramedics will take a more active place in politics allowing the government to reflect the specialization of pre-hospital disaster management in through legislative frameworks (Takeyama et al. 2009). This will help in ensuring emergency response is effective at all times. Rather than waiting for emergencies to work on challenges, they should be addressed in time so that good Samaritan level paramedics respond in a manner that does not leave people wanting for a better response. Shift work can affect the health and wellbeing of individuals in different levels and paramedics are no exception. They too are vulnerable to being overworked and to suffering from fatigue syndrome. Clark (2005) is right in suggesting that there be a discourse as to the level of commitment and work that should be expected from paramedics in Australia. Even though all paramedics have a duty to respond when there is a disaster, it is only those who are in shift that will respond unless the situation calls for more paramedics (Ganza, 2006). Demanding or expecting that paramedics behave in a supreme samaritan manner will be ineffective especially because the effects of this change have not been discussed or researched upon yet. Currently, there is very little research in Australia that touches on the issue of shift work and its effects on personnel. The discipline of being a paramedic is part of a dynamic health system within Australia (Okada et al. 2005). Paramedics are a group of individuals who also face a unique and critical set of challenges given the unpredictable and dynamic context within which they work. The disasters they are expected to handle may include tings that put them in danger such as exposure to toxic levels of radiation (Aasa et al. 2005). They have to perform a number of tasks as expected and also on demand. The tasks are highly stressful since they often involve negotiating numerous social and medical issues with their colleagues, their bosses and their patients. At the same time, they execute precise clinical skills and drug management within a multifaceted and challenging work environ. It is a known fact that health personnel are lacking in most if not all nations. Hence, in addition to the challenges mentioned above, paramedics also have an ever increasing work load and the psychological and physical demands on paramedics are a continuous challenge (Alexander & Klein, 2001). As the dynamics of emergencies change, so too do the demands put on paramedics. Resolving this requires research into the effects of particular combinations of workload on paramedics in order to find out when they are most effective in their work. Good Samaritan level work is that which individuals are willing to offer of their own will. Hence, it is what the paramedic is able to do and therefore, it cannot be standardized. Standardizing demands in the health sector should be limited to tangible aspects such as knowledge and skills. Psychological issues will differ in different individuals at differ times. Paramedics are expected to be available at all times and ready to respond to life threatening situations. Given the emotional, psychological and physical demands placed upon paramedics, asking them to give more will not leave them with ample recovery time. It is vital that they be given sufficient restorative and recovery time for sleep and rest if they are to perform their tasks responsibly, methodically and confidently (van der Ploeg & Kleber, 2003). If they are working in their full capacity, then their personal as well as patient safety will be maintained. This is possible with them working as good Samaritans. Possibilities of fatigue and sleep disturbance compromise the abilities of paramedics. They are likely to make mistakes such as administering the wrong dose or wrong medication or failing to recognize articular symptoms. High speed driving can also be affected with grim consequences. Accompanying issues related to fatigue and sleep deprivation are concerns about depression which are coupled with the fact that paramedics face an emotional burden in their environment filled with high trauma and emotion. This is especially true when there is a grim disaster as most of the patients die. Paramedics have to be with dozens of individuals in their dying moments (Roth, & Moore, 2009). In some cases, they also have to deal with emotional family members as they look for their loved ones. Alertness, judgment, concentration, performance, vigilance and mood are critical in a paramedic’s job and they are significantly affected by fatigue and sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation also results in memory impairment which decreases work performance and productivity (ABS, 2006). These physical and mental stressors can be curbed by maintaining the demand for paramedics at a good samaritan level. In this case, the good Samaritan helps when he feels like he can make a significant change. Otherwise, he continues on with his current agenda. This is not to say that they will leave a patient unattended but rather allow someone else to help them (Mahony, 2001). If helping an individual may put them or another in danger, then it is best if the good samaritan helps where he can then moves on. For instance, suppose a paramedic is on his way to the hospital taking a critical patient and comes across another with a broken leg. Stopping to help the one with the leg problem may cause the death of the one in the ambulance. However, the paramedic can pass him by because he can inform other paramedics in the vicinity to help. References Aasa, U., Brulin, C., Angquist, K-A., et al. (2005). Work-related psychosocial factors, worry about work conditions and health complaints among female and male ambulance personnel. Scand J Caring Sci. 19, 251-8. ABS. (2006). Working Arrangements Australia Nov 2006: Report Number 6342.0, Summary of Findings. 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Acute and chronic job stressors among ambulance personnel: predictors of health symptoms. Occup Environ Me, 60(Suppl 1), i40-6. Read More