May 1, 2015
Story by Sara Warr
The emergency call back in 2013 wasn’t anything paramedic and EMS supervisor of operations with Alberta Health Services (AHS), Malinda McBurney hadn’t seen before, but this time it just hit a nerve with her.
“It completely rattled me to the bone. Just given that time in my life, with the recent loss of a friend and other occurrences, it just sort of happened all at once.”
McBurney recognized that the situation was more than she could handle on her own.
“I had checked-in with myself, I knew that it was beyond me and I needed a moment to take a breather and step back.”
A provincial peer support program for EMS workers reaches out to staff with the offer of a listening ear, from someone who’s been there. AHS’ Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) and peer support program aims to support EMS staff in dealing with difficult calls, or the emotional saturation and compassion fatigue that can come after years in the field.
“This is one way of showing compassion to our caregivers and recognizing that this work is hard,” says Careen Condrotte, provincial coordinator for CISM/peer support programs with AHS EMS. Talking to peers about your experiences can offer validation that you’re not crazy. You’re just a normal person having normal reactions to an abnormal event.” McBurney isn’t afraid to admit that she’s called the 24/7 CISM/peer support hotline (1-855-512-4127), more than once – both for herself and on behalf of her EMS staff.
“There’s no shame in it at all. We see some really awful things, and we’re all human. If we don’t learn to deal with that stuff, it just hurts us down the road,” she says.
Just like EMS personnel, the program and support it offers can cross zone borders as needed. Team members are available to provide support to other zones as needed. The CISM/peer support program isn’t meant to replace other resources, like the Employee Family Assistance Program (EFAP). But the support team can be that initial contact to help guide callers in the right direction. Peer support team members also try to connect with staff who may not reach out on their own.
“We’ll start with one-to-one support,” Condrotte explains, “Just checking in; maybe a quick text, or phone call after a bad call to see how you’re doing. Offering some simple self-care strategies to help you deal with yourself and connect you back to supports if needed.”
Through these initial steps it’s determined if additional interventions are needed, such as a small group critical incident stress debriefing or referral for further assessment by a mental health professional. There’s no one-size-fits-all remedy, says Condrotte. And the CISM/peer support program was set up with that in mind.
“Maybe you are fine right now.” she acknowledges. “Maybe two days or a month from now you’re not. But we’ve made the initial connection, you’ve got our number and you know that you can call us. And we’ve had people call us back after realizing that they’ve been dealing these issues for a while.”
The program has been available province-wide since last summer. In the first three months it served more than 360 people, including new EMS recruits who now receive a CISM/peer support presentation as part of their orientation.
“We need to look at this as a way to prevent occupational stress injuries, just like we train you to use personal protective equipment and proper lifting techniques,” Condrotte explains. “You might still get injured, but hopefully we’ll reduce that chance by making you aware of the hazards. It’s the same with mental and emotional health. If you recognize that these type of incidents happen in EMS, this is how you might react and these are some things you can do for yourself - then hopefully we’ll have a more resilient, aware workforce.”
About 50 EMS personnel currently make up the peer support team, but more are needed. Interested staff must have the support of their supervisor, apply, and take part in a panel interview to determine suitability.
“People can be very fearful of admitting that something really bothered them,” says McBurney. “But once you go through that process and have the ability to check-in with yourself or reach out for help, it’s not so bad.”
More responders are speaking out and raising public awareness about the issue. But often, the stigma around asking for help and fear of appearing weak can stand in the way of help and healing.
“The program is all voluntary. If someone says they’re fine, we respect that - unless we have reason to believe that they’re not fine or they’re at risk to themselves or others. We leave the door open though, that if things change they can give us a call. Don’t be afraid. If you’re not fine, say you’re not fine,” says Condrotte.
“I feel fortunate,” McBurney reflects on her 14 years with EMS. “I look back on things and think, holy cow, I can’t believe I walked away from that and I’m not completely emotionally and mentally scarred. But I’m not. I’m still a paramedic and it’s what I really love to do.”
“We’ll never be able to prevent it all from happening,” says Condrotte. “Our goal is to catch people early so that we can get them into the right supports. When someone says you saved their life, that’s a huge deal because it’s hard for them to ask for help. They’re the helpers. They’re the ones that go to emergencies. They don’t need that help. Except that sometimes they do.”
The EMS peer support team is available around the clock, seven days a week, at 1-855-512-4127.
What else is being done:
A provincial mental health advisory committee has been put together by Alberta’s Chief Paramedic to develop new policies, and improve mental health programs, in order to better protect the health and safety of all EMS staff. The committee will also incorporate recommendations from frontline EMS staff.
Around the clock peer support, crisis support, chaplain services and grief counseling are available to EMS staff in cases where a team member has been lost. Mobile mental health units, including CISM representatives and mental health professionals, can provide additional face-to-face support in these tragic incidents.
Help is just a phone call away:
All of these services and supports are available 24/7 and are completely confidential and voluntary to use.
