Exposure to Human Tragedy, Empathy, and Trauma in Ambulance Paramedics

Paramedics are exposed to events involving human pain & suffering on a daily basis. At times, certain circumstances lead workers to develop an emotional connection with the victim or his or her family. When this occurs, paramedics report increased symptoms of traumatic stress. One of the coping strategies described in these circumstances is to manage the events on a cognitive & technical level while maintaining an emotional distance. This strategy may be protective but may also have long-term negative effects in terms of interpersonal relationships. This mixed-methods study attempts to understand better the factors that lead to higher levels of distress among paramedics within the theoretical framework of emotional & cognitive empathy. (31 refs.) JA

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