Pol. Merkur. Lek (Pol. Med. J.), 2011, XXXI/182: 097-099

SUMMARY IN POLISH & ENGLISH. FULL ARTICLE ONLY IN POLISH.

Chronic and post-traumatic stress in the profession of medical rescuer worker

Ogłodek E., Araszkiewicz A. Chair of Psychiatry, Collegium Medicum of Bydgoszcz, Poland

The aim of the study was the assessment of post-traumatic events experienced at work by medical rescuer.
Material and methods. The research covered 40 individuals working as medical rescuer (20 males and 20 females) with average 35.6 years old. The rescuer were employed in the Hospital Emergency Department. The individuals were interviewed with the use of a scale, assessing the reactions of a medical rescue worker to the death of a patient being rescued. The frequency and kind of posttraumatic experiences in the job of a medical rescue worker were analyzed.
Results. The most numerous group of the interviewed (40%) reported the dissociation caused by the death of a patient being rescued by them. The most frequently mentioned post-traumatic event was a physical assault, threatening the life of the interviewed person.
Conclusions. Medical rescuer are exposed to the occurrence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which contributes to the reduced feeling of safety at workplace.

Key words: feeling of safety, post-traumatic stress, cortisol

Pol. Merk. Lek., 2011, XXXI, 182, 97