The impact of emergency responder musculoskeletal injuries in the State of Ohio

Work ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Brendan Hanson ◽  
Sherry Steele Cooper ◽  
Taryn Tegarden ◽  
Logan Tipton ◽  
Andrew G Freeman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Police Officers ◽  
Motor Vehicle ◽  
Univariate Analysis ◽  
Musculoskeletal Injuries ◽  
Leadership Role ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Emergency Responder ◽  
Emergency Personnel ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND: Emergency personnel operate in environments that put them at higher risk of injury to the musculoskeletal system. These injuries result in lost workdays, medical costs, and decreased productivity, all which impact emergency response systems. OBJECTIVE: This study serves to assess the causes, costs, and disability of common work-related musculoskeletal injuries within the police, emergency medical service (EMS) workers, and firefighters of Ohio based on data from the OBWC (Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation). METHODS: Our dataset included all OBWC injury claims involving a shoulder, low back, or knee from 2010 through 2014. Police and Firefighter leaders were analyzed separately from those not in a leadership role, and workers with combined Firefighter/EMS roles were analyzed separately from “pure” Firefighters and EMS personnel. Data were organized through univariate analysis of variance with post-hoc Tukey tests and analyzed based on the job of the individual and whether the individual was in a leadership role. RESULTS: Police officers had the highest number of total injuries in the dataset, followed by Firefighters and Firefighters/EMS workers. Police officers and Firefighters injured their back and knees more often than their shoulders, while EMS workers injured their backs and shoulders more often than their knees. CONCLUSIONS: The mechanisms through which injuries occur are also dependent on the job. Police officers experienced a higher percentage of motor vehicle related back problems, while firefighters had a higher percentage of injuries from overexertion. Musculoskeletal injury claims in these emergency personnel resulted in opioid prescriptions approximately 10%of the time.

scholarly journals Rescuers at Risk: Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms Among Police Officers, Fire Fighters, Ambulance Personnel, and Emergency and Psychiatric Nurses

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leila M. Soravia ◽  
Simon Schwab ◽  
Sebastian Walther ◽  
Thomas Müller
Keyword(s):  
Suicidal Ideation ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Psychiatric Nurses ◽  
Psychological Strain ◽  
Ambulance Personnel ◽  
Rescue Workers ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Emergency Personnel

Emergency personnel and rescue workers may be at a risk of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) due to exposure to trauma and work-related stressors. Though rescuers of different professions are often engaged in the same type of emergency, they have different tasks and responsibilities and receive different training in coping with traumatic events and stress; hence, we speculated that the salience of identified risk factors for PTSS vary across their respective professions. The present cross-sectional survey aimed to identify influencing variables on PTSS, well-being, and suicidal ideation that can act differently across professions of rescue workers and emergency personnel. In this anonymous online study, data from 1,002 rescue workers and emergency personnel in Switzerland, were collected: 499 police officers, 239 firefighters, 97 ambulance personnel, and 85 emergency and 82 psychiatric nurses. PTSS, coping strategies, well-being, suicidal ideation, previously experienced and work-related trauma, and self-efficacy were measured and analyzed using multiple regression and structural equation modeling (SEM). The prevalence of suspected posttraumatic stress disorder varied across the professions, ranged from 8% (firefighters) to 22% (psychiatric nurses), and was associated with psychological strain and suicidal ideation. The SEM showed that dysfunctional coping strategies, self-efficacy, previously experienced and work-related trauma, years on job, and female sex explained up to 78% of PTSS and that PTSS itself explained up to 68% of the psychological strain experienced in the different professions. Independent of the profession, dysfunctional coping such as alcohol use, avoidance, and distraction, as well as work-related trauma were the most robust predictors of PTSS. However, while self-efficacy was a risk factor for police officers, firefighters and ambulance personnel, it was a protective factor for emergency and psychiatric nurses. Furthermore, female sex was only a risk factor for ambulance personnel and emergency nurses. In agreement with prior research, emergency personnel and rescuers exhibited enhanced prevalence of PTSS and suspected PTSD, leading to significant psychological strain and suicidal ideation. However, risk factors varied across the professions. Thus, the development of profession-specific trainings to improve self-efficacy and coping with work-related stressors to reduce PTSS, and enhance quality of life, is needed for individuals in such high-risk professions.Clinical Trial Registration:ClinicalTrials.gov Nr. NCT03842553.

scholarly journals Positivity and job burnout in emergency personnel: examining linear and curvilinear relationship

2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 212-219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beata Aleksandra Basińska ◽  
Ewa Gruszczyńska
Keyword(s):  
Police Officers ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Job Burnout ◽  
Curvilinear Relationship ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Emergency Personnel ◽  
Linear Relationships ◽  
Positivity Ratio ◽  
Curvilinear Relationships ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract The aim of this study was to examine whether the relationship between the ratio of job-related positive to negative emotions (positivity ratio) and job burnout is best described as linear or curvilinear. Participants were 89 police officers (12% women) and 86 firefighters. The positivity ratio was evaluated using the Job-related Affective Wellbeing Scale (Van Katwyk, Fox, Spector, & Kelloway, 2000). Exhaustion and disengagement, two components of job burnout, were measured using the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (Demerouti, Mostert, & Bakker, 2010). The results of regression analysis revealed that curvilinear relationships between the positivity ratio and two components of job burnout appeared to better fit the data than linear relationships. The relationship between the positivity ratio and exhaustion was curvilinear with a curve point at around 2.1. A similar curvilinear relationship, but with a lower curve point, i.e., around 1.8, was observed for disengagement. It seems that beyond certain values there may be hidden costs of maintaining positive emotions at work. Also, the unequal curve points for subscales suggest that different dimensions of work-related functioning are variously prone to such costs.

scholarly journals The Impact of Musculoskeletal Injuries Sustained in Road Traffic Crashes on Work-Related Outcomes: A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (21) ◽  
pp. 11504
Author(s):  
Elise M. Gane ◽  
Melanie L. Plinsinga ◽  
Charlotte L. Brakenridge ◽  
Esther J. Smits ◽  
Tammy Aplin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sick Leave ◽  
Road Traffic ◽  
Musculoskeletal Injury ◽  
Musculoskeletal Injuries ◽  
Work Outcomes ◽  
Traffic Crashes ◽  
Road Traffic Crashes ◽  
Work Related ◽  
The Impact

Musculoskeletal injuries occur frequently after road traffic crashes (RTCs), and the effect on work participation is not fully understood. The primary aim of this review was to determine the impact of sustaining a musculoskeletal injury during an RTC on the rate of return to work (RTW), sick leave, and other work outcomes. The secondary aim was to determine factors associated with these work-related outcomes. An electronic search of relevant databases to identify observational studies related to work and employment, RTC, and musculoskeletal injuries was conducted. Where possible, outcome data were pooled by follow-up period to answer the primary aim. Fifty-three studies were included in this review, of which 28 were included in meta-analyses. The pooled rate of RTW was 70% at 1 month, 67% at 3 months, 76% at 6 months, 83% at 12 months, and 70% at 24 months. Twenty-seven percent of participants took some sick leave by one month follow-up, 13% by 3 months, 23% by 6 months, 36% by 12 months, and 22% by 24 months. Most of the factors identified as associated with work outcomes were health-related, with some evidence also for sociodemographic factors. While 70% of people with RTC-related musculoskeletal injury RTW shortly after accident, many still have not RTW two years later.

scholarly journals Influences on GP coping and resilience: a qualitative study in primary care

2017 ◽  
Vol 67 (659) ◽  
pp. e428-e436 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Cheshire ◽  
Damien Ridge ◽  
John Hughes ◽  
David Peters ◽  
Maria Panagioti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Focus Groups ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Full Time ◽  
External Work ◽  
Workplace Change ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Telephone Interviews ◽  
One To One ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Impact

Background‘Neoliberal’ work policies, austerity, NHS restructuring, and increased GP consultation rates provide the backdrop against increasing reports of GP burnout and an impending shortage of GPs.AimTo explore GPs’ experiences of workplace challenges and stresses, and their coping strategies, particularly focusing on understanding the impact of recent NHS workplace change.Design and settingStudy design was qualitative, with data collected from two focus groups and seven one-to-one telephone interviews.MethodFocus groups and one-to-one telephone interviews explored the experiences of GPs currently practising in England, recruited through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview approach and analysed using thematic analysis.ResultsThere were 22 GP participants recruited: focus groups (n = 15) and interviews (n = 7). Interviewees understood GPs to be under intense and historically unprecedented pressures, which were tied to the contexts in which they work, with important moral implications for ‘good’ doctoring. Many reported that being a full-time GP was too stressful: work-related stress led to mood changes, sleep disruption, increases in anxiety, and tensions with loved ones. Some had subsequently sought ways to downsize their clinical workload. Workplace change resulted in little time for the things that helped GP resilience: a good work–life balance and better contact with colleagues. Although some GPs were coping better than others, GPs acknowledged that there was only so much an individual GP could do to manage their stress, given the external work issues they faced.ConclusionGPs experience their emotional lives and stresses as being meaningfully shaped by NHS factors. To support GPs to provide effective care, resilience building should move beyond the individual to include systemic work issues.

scholarly journals Employee-workplace alignment

Facilities ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 282-297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Roskams ◽  
Barry Haynes
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Control ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Aesthetic Quality ◽  
Workplace Environment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Work Effectiveness ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Employee Characteristics ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to identify the employee characteristics which are most strongly associated with perceived requirements for different aspects of the workplace environment. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire was completed by 364 employees from a large private-sector organisation. Respondents were surveyed on different work-related, personality and demographic characteristics. They then completed a series of items measuring perceived requirements for four aspects of the workplace environment (workspace segregation, workspace territoriality, individual environmental control and aesthetic quality). Associations between employee characteristics and perceived workplace requirements were explored using multiple regression analyses. Findings Numerous significant associations emerged. For example, the requirement for more segregated workspaces was associated with higher susceptibility to distraction, and the requirement for higher workspace territoriality was associated with less positive perceptions regarding the impact of flexible working on work effectiveness. Originality/value The individual difference factors which moderate satisfaction with the workplace environment have received relatively little attention in past research. The present study addresses this knowledge gap by including a wider range of employee characteristics and comprehensively investigating which of these most strongly predict differences in perceived requirements for the workplace.

Police officers’ perceptions of the challenges involved in Internet Child Exploitation investigation

2014 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 543-557 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martine B. Powell ◽  
Peter Cassematis ◽  
Mairi S. Benson ◽  
Stephen Smallbone ◽  
Richard Wortley
Keyword(s):  
Work Environment ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Physical Work ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Telephone Interviews ◽  
Child Exploitation ◽  
Physical Work Environment ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore police officers’ perceptions of the challenges and work stressors of working in Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) investigation. Design/methodology/approach – Participants were a heterogeneous sample of 32 ICE investigators across nine Australian jurisdictions. Officers’ perceptions of ICE work were elicited via individual, open-ended, anonymous, telephone interviews, which focused on both the nature and impact of work-related stressors and challenges. Findings – Thematic analysis revealed that viewing ICE material was not perceived to be a major stressor or particularly traumatic facet of ICE investigation. Rather, the challenges related to three areas; work relationships, workload and resources and the physical environment. Participants also suggested some improvements to their work environment which could reduce the impact of these challenges. Practical implications – The stressors identified by ICE investigators in this study place physical, psychological and social restrictions on investigative capacity. Modifications to the workplace environment that facilitate more effective professional collaboration, reduce workload and enhance investigator efficiency and functionality of the physical work environment would likely reduce the potential for harm associated with ICE investigation and improve ICE investigators’ capacity to perform their role. Originality/value – This is the first study to use a broad research framework to examine the full range of stressors that ICE investigators face (both organisational and operational). The findings are important for developing comprehensive theories regarding workplace traumatisation as well as holistic intervention models to assist the prevention and management of stress related to ICE investigation.

Application of Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems in Police Vehicles

2021 ◽  
pp. 036119812110171
Author(s):  
Vanessa Nasr ◽  
David Wozniak ◽  
Farzaneh Shahini ◽  
Maryam Zahabi
Keyword(s):  
Police Officers ◽  
Motor Vehicle ◽  
Detection System ◽  
Driving Safety ◽  
Driver Assistance ◽  
Driver Assistance Systems ◽  
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems ◽  
Assistance Systems ◽  
Police Vehicles ◽  
The Impact

Motor vehicle crashes are one of the leading causes of injuries and deaths for police officers. Advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) are driving control systems that have been found to improve civilian drivers’ safety; however, the impact of ADAS on police officers’ driving safety has yet to be investigated thoroughly. Disparities between driver states and tasks performed while driving between police and civilian drivers necessitate this distinction. This study identified the types of ADAS used in police vehicles, their impact on officers’ safety, and proposed potential future ADAS features to be implemented in police vehicles. A systematic literature review was conducted using Google Scholar, Compendex, Web of Science, Transport Research International Documentation (TRID), and Google Patents databases to identify the most prevalent police vehicles used in the U.S., available ADAS features in those vehicles, and the impact of ADAS on officers’ safety. A list of recommended ADAS features was developed based on the review of literature, authors’ knowledge and experience in the field, and the findings of an online survey with 73 police officers. Results indicated the addition of multiple ADAS features including the front vehicle detection system, intersection collision avoidance, evasive steering systems, left turn assist, traffic sign detection system, traffic jam assist, two lane and lane-ending detection, wrong-way alert, and autonomous highway driving features have the potential to improve officer safety and performance while driving. However, there was a void of studies focused on ADAS effects on police driving safety which needs to be addressed in future investigations.

scholarly journals Police officers’ perspectives on state (police) violence: A sociomoral and psychological-driven study on disengagement

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 174-204
Author(s):  
Mónica Soares ◽  
Mariana Barbosa ◽  
Raquel Matos
Keyword(s):  
Police Officers ◽  
Moral Disengagement ◽  
State Violence ◽  
Cultural Dimensions ◽  
Police Violence ◽  
Lethal Violence ◽  
Daily Work ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Disengagement Theory ◽  
The Impact

This paper comprises a theoretical and empirical incursion into the phenomenon of state violence, namely police violence. Although extensively explored in different perspectives within and outside academia, police violence is complex and has not been sufficiently problematized yet. In our understanding, this phenomenon requires a dialectical and dynamic discussion wherein both the development of state powers (macro-perspective) and how these powers affect the subjectification of those who act on their behalf (micro-perspective) are articulated into a critical analysis. In more concrete terms, the present study contributes to such analysis by shedding light on the main processes of moral disengagement (cf. Bandura, 1990, 1999, 2004) disclosed in the internal perspectives of six Portuguese police officers about common daily work-related situations. To legitimize the resort to police violence, police officers rely heavily on different mechanisms of moral disengagement. For instance, sanitizing language (anchored in a police technical jargon) is typically used as a linguistic mechanism to disguise violent actions; advantageous comparisons with other law enforcement agencies or with the recipient’s conduct are typically employed; non-lethal violence is usually minimized and portrayed as innocuous; and the recipient of violence is usually dehumanised and seen as responsible for the acts of violence. The findings are discussed based on the moral disengagement theory (Bandura, 1990, 1999, 2004); on the denial approach (Cohen, 2001, 2003); and on the impact of organizational, legal and socio-cultural dimensions of police organization (e.g., Fassin, 2011; Huggins, Haritos-Fatouros, & Zimbardo, 2002).

scholarly journals Leaders on a Mindfulness-Based Program: Experience, Impact, and Effect on Leadership Role

Human Arenas ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deryl Dix ◽  
Katie Norton ◽  
Gemma M. Griffith
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Development ◽  
Leadership Skills ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Emotional Awareness ◽  
Leadership Role ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Leadership Development Program ◽  
Manufacturing Organization ◽  
The Impact

AbstractAlthough there is putative evidence that mindfulness-based programs (MBPs) may contribute to leadership skills, little is known about the direct experience of leaders who attend such programs. It is therefore unknown how MBPs delivered in the corporate environment are experienced by leaders, or how MBPs may facilitate leadership development. This qualitative study explored how leaders experienced an MBP, introduced as a part of a wider leadership development program, and the impact of this intervention on their work lives and leadership role. Participants (N = 10) were leaders who worked for a global manufacturing organization and who had attended a three-day mindfulness-based program as part of a leadership development program. They were interviewed and the data was analysed using thematic analysis. Following the MBP, eight participants reported enhanced emotional awareness, and a greater understanding of the impact of work-related stress, which in turn helped their leadership role. Two did not see how mindfulness could enhance their leadership skills although the MBP was well received by most of the participants. Three superordinate themes were identified: (1) The participant journey: Mixed experiences of the MBP; (2) A clash of cultures: The challenge of integrating mindfulness into the workplace, and (3) Impact on leadership. These results may inform future research, program design, and implementation.

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