no / Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand the need and resources firefighters have to deal with
death and dying (D&D) that they encounter whilst on duty and to present a curriculum to support D&D
issues for firefighters.
Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative methodology involving focus groups was conducted
in two fire stations in Spain. The sample was 38 male participants with a mean age of 46 y/o
(range: 30-59 years) and an average tenure of employment of 18 years (range: 6-35 years). Data were subjected
to a thematic analysis. Dual coding of the transcripts in addition to member checking enhanced analysis.
Findings – Nine themes emerged: witnessing D&D during rescue operations;memories about D&D and trauma;
impact on firefighter’s families; decision-making process under stress; teamwork: protective and
self-support; inadequate D&D preparation and training; adequate technical and physical training preparation;
relationship between equipment, legal-moral obligation, and victims’ outcomes; communication issues: toward the
victim and/or their relatives. These themes were subsequently framed into three basic domains: personal impact
of D&D, team impact of D&D, and victim impact. Each domain, in its turn, is covered by three curriculum topics.
The curriculum’s pedagogy is primarily based on experimental-reflective activities during 16 study-hours.
Research limitations/implications – The absence of female participants. All fire stations were in cities
with no more than 150,000 inhabitants.
Practical implications – Individuals who take this curriculum will: increase their ability for self-care and
resilience; improve teamwork, leadership skills, and to decrease burnout; provide more effective care for
victims; provide skills to cope with compassion fatigue; reduced the levels of post-traumatic stress disorders.
Originality/value – Understanding firefighters’ needs with relation to D&D, and assessing the resources
available to mitigate these issues will provide a comprehensive approach to their education and promote health
both personally and professionally. A comparable curriculum or proposal has not been previously identified.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BRADFORD/oai:bradscholars.brad.ac.uk:10454/15627 |
| Date | 17 November 2017 |
| Creators | Santos, J.P.L., García-Llana, H., Pablo, V., Liébana, M., Kellehear, Allan |
| Source Sets | Bradford Scholars |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Article, No full-text in the repository |
Page generated in 0.0026 seconds