Maricopa Community Colleges  EMT215   19942-99999 
Official Course Description: MCCCD Approval: 11/23/93
EMT215 19942-99999 LEC 3 Credit(s) 3 Period(s)
Stress and Emergency Services Professionals
Participative course designed to familiarize students with differences which exist in the socioeconomic, cultural, organizational, and technologic environments and the distress that can occur to emergency-care providers functioning in those arenas. Physiologic, psychologic and behavioral manifestations of distress as it relates to emergency responders. Explores distress management options with emphasis on individual techniques and organizational programs. Prerequisites: Currently employed as prehospital-care provider or registered nurse working in the prehospital setting.
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MCCCD Official Course Competencies:
 
EMT215   19942-99999 Stress and Emergency Services Professionals
1. List the significant changes in emergency service which impact the stress levels of professionals in that field. (I)
2. List the organizational issues and their impact on stress. (II)
3. Describe the characteristics of Types A and B personalities. (III)
4. Describe the common personality characteristics of emergency services professionals. (IV)
5. Perform a personality inventory to gain insight into personality traits and characteristics. (IV)
6. Explain the relationship of self esteem and public opinion and the impact on effective functioning in an emergency setting. (IV)
7. Describe the correlation of heroism, authority, and humanitarian service and the impact on effective functioning in an emergency setting. (IV)
8. Identify and describe the communication barriers that exist within family and peer relationships that may cause distress. (IV)
9. Recognize the Type C personality and list those characteristics. (III)
10. Cite day-to-day living and response characteristics which make an emergency services career unique. (V)
11. Define stress, eustress, and distress. (V)
12. Identify physiologic, personal, environmental, and social sources of distress. (V)
13. Predict the physiologic, psychologic, and behavioral responses to stress. (V)
14. Identify common myths and misconceptions about stress. (V)
15. Identify and describe stress mitigation, techniques, and lifestyle changes. (V)
16. Identify organizational procedures and programs designed to mitigate stress. (V)
17. Define the sources and symptoms of cumulative stress. (V)
18. List and describe the differences in response and mitigation opportunities between emergency services professionals and civilians. (V)
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MCCCD Official Course Outline:
 
EMT215   19942-99999 Stress and Emergency Services Professionals
    I. Introduction to Emergency Services Stress
        A. Industry analysis
        B. The changing nature of the job
      II. Environmental Issues and Their Impact on Stress
          A. Socioeconomic
          B. Cultural
          C. Organizational
          D. Technologic
        III. Types A, B, and C Personalities
            A. Identification
            B. Job orientation
            C. Behavioral responses under stress
          IV. Common Personality Characteristics of Emergency Services Professionals
              A. Issues of heroism, authority, and rescue
                1. Self esteem
                2. Public opinion
              B. Family issues
              C. Peer issues
              D. The nature of the job
            V. Stress, Eustress, and Distress
                A. The comfort zone; frenzy vs. boredom
                B. Origins of distress
                  1. Physiological
                  2. Personal
                  3. Environmental
                  4. Social
                C. Types of stress
                  1. Acute, incident-prompted stress
                  2. Causes
                  3. Stressors as identified by emergency workers
                D. Responses to stress
                  1. Physiological
                  2. Psychological
                  3. Behavioral
                  4. Post traumatic stress disorder
                  5. Cumulative stress or burnout
                E. Myths and misconceptions about stress
                F. Mitigation
                  1. Stress mitigation techniques and lifestyle changes
                  2. Organizational procedures and programs
                  3. Differences in response and mitigation
                  4. Opportunities for mitigation for emergency workers and civilians
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