Thesis PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

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No description available.

The objective of this study was to assess the relationships between Sense of Coherence and Burnout (i.e. Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalisation and Personal Accomplishment) and to investigate job-related stressors and support resources in a sample of privately employed eThekwini paramedics. A survey design was used and a convenience sample (N=56) was taken from one emergency care organisation. Biographical variables and qualitative information regarding stressors and support systems were obtained and two inventories, the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey and the Orientation to Life Questionnaire, were administered. Results showed a predominance of informal support systems and individual case-related stressors. There were relationships between Sense of Coherence and Burnout and a significant difference in Personal Accomplishment in the 36-40 age group was found. Regression results indicated that Depersonalisation and Sense of Coherence predicted Emotional Exhaustion and Emotional Exhaustion demonstrated a main effect on Depersonalisation. Sense of Coherence was the only variable that predicted Personal Accomplishment in the current sample of paramedies. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2007

For many years, researchers have investigated issues of career choice and job satisfaction. One of the earliest and most durable theories of vocational psychology holds that an individual's personality predisposes him or her to be better suited to some occupations than others. According to trait factor theory, if people are matched with the "right" occupations, high levels of satisfaction and performance can be expected.This study examined the personality characteristics in a national sample of 105 career paramedics and investigated the relationship between paramedics' personality type and satisfaction with the work environment. Career paramedics are defused as individuals who earn the majority of their income through the provision of advanced prehospital emergency health care. Four major findings were obtained. First, a chi square analysis showed that the frequency and distribution of personality types of paramedics differs from that of the general population. Second, it appears that many paramedics show a distinct clustering of personality traits. The-, have a strong sense of responsibility; prefer concrete, immediate, factual data; enjoy creating order out of chaos; and are able to work with efficiency and precision in high-pressure situations. Third, analyses of variance indicated significant differences between responses of medics at different sites. This suggests that management differences account for variance in scores on the work satisfaction measure, since work tasks are similar at each location. Fourth, limited evidence was found to support the link between personality type and scores on the work satisfactionmeasure. Results are discussed in relation to the implications for employers and psychologists. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

Thesis PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Liberty University Counseling Department, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ed.D.) -- Teachers College, Columbia University, 1991. / Typescript; issued also on microfilm. Sponsor: Victoria Marsick. Dissertation Committee: William Yakowitz. Includes bibliographical references: (leaves 205-223).

M.A. (Clinical Psychology) / South African paramedics are thought to be exposed to a high number of critical incidents as compared to paramedics elsewhere (Ward, Lombard & Gwebushe, 2006). Therefore, South African paramedics are at particular risk of suffering from negative effects associated from the exposure to critical incidents. This study aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of the meaning which paramedics attach to the experience of “critical incidents” (Mitchell, 1983). This information may be beneficial for those working in Emergency Medical Services in South Africa to further understandings of paramedics’ experience of work related trauma. Five paramedics, sourced from both public and private ambulance service, between the ages of 27 and 36 years old, who have had between 8 to 12 years of working experience were interviewed regarding their lived experiences of critical incidents. The semi-structured interviews were transcribed and analysed based on the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) framework suggested by Smith and Osborn (2008). The analysis of each of the participant’s transcripts provided four master themes, some of which are supported by superordinate themes. The master themes are: 1) Experiencing the trauma of critical incidents, 2) Experiencing in the “World” of EMS, 3) Intrinsic factors and active attempts of coping with stress, and 4)Personal consequence of being a paramedic. For most of the participants, their narratives highlighted that the organisational variables were considered to be more important than the nature of the critical incidents they experienced. Critical incidents were deemed traumatic as there was a disparity between the participant’s expectations of what was expected and what they were confronted with in “reality”. In addition, the participants described forming an emotional bond with their patients or the patient’s family, which added to their distress. The participants’ narratives emphasised the importance of the role of the EMS organisation in influencing their experiences. Despite employing a number of coping strategies to mediate the effects of organisational as well as critical incident stress, the participants reported experiencing longterm negative psychological symptoms that have impacted on their personal and familial lives. These findings support the growing body of knowledge that demonstrates that organisational variables play an important role in either mediating or exacerbating posttrauma outcomes.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the perceived occupational stress levels and coping mechanisms among Emergency Medical Technicians and paramedics in Delaware County. It was proposed that EMTs and paramedics perceive environmental and job stress for which they have developed specific coping mechanisms. It was further proposed that an association exists between levels of occupational stress and coping mechanisms used by Emergency Medical Technicians and paramedics.The population of prospective subjects for the study consisted of all part-time, full-time, and volunteer EMTs and paramedics of Delaware County, Indiana. The EMTs and paramedics were surveyed by an Occupational Stress Inventory-Revised, which they completed during mandatory training sessions. Delaware County and Yorktown EMS received the questionnaire packets by the researcher one half hour before the start of the subject's shift.The design of the study was nonexperimental, descriptive, and correlational. Pearson's product moment correlation, t-test, and multivariate analysis of variance were used to analyze the data.The results indicated that there were significant differences between the coping mechanisms used by EMTs and paramedics. There were also significant differences between occupational stress levels of paid and volunteer EMTs and paramedics and rural and urban area Emergency Medical Services. There were significant relationships between four of the six stress subscales, and average number of hours worked per week in the past year among EMTs and paramedics. No significant difference was found between EMTs and paramedics and levels of occupational stress. / Department of Physiology and Health Science