Tuesday, June 24, 2025

EMS Health & Wellness - Burnout (Part One)


Burnout is more than just feeling tired or stressed. It’s a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress — especially when that stress feels unmanageable or unrelenting.

The World Health Organization defines burnout as a syndrome stemming from chronic workplace stress that hasn’t been successfully managed. It has three main features:
  • Exhaustion (feeling drained and depleted)
  • Cynicism or detachment (mental distance from work or roles)
  • Reduced performance or a sense of ineffectiveness (Maslach & Jackson, 1981; World Health Organization, 2019)
In healthcare settings, burnout can also feel like losing the passion or purpose that originally drew you to the profession.

What Causes Burnout?

Burnout often happens when there’s a mismatch between what’s being asked of you and what you realistically have the capacity to deliver (Weinberg & Gould, 2019).

Whether that’s time, emotional energy, physical stamina, or support, when your resources are constantly being outpaced by the demands, the result is chronic stress. Left unaddressed, that stress becomes burnout (Mental Health First Aid, 2015).

This model is supported by decades of research, including the widely recognized Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, which explains how high demands and low support/resources can wear people down (Demerouti et al., 2001).

Signs To Watch For

Common warning signs of burnout include:
  • Feeling exhausted even after rest
  • Becoming more irritable or emotionally numb
  • Feeling like your work doesn’t matter anymore
  • Struggling to concentrate or feel motivated
  • Withdrawing from colleagues, family, or activities you used to enjoy
Conclusion

Burnout isn’t just “part of the job”, it’s a serious, well-documented occupational hazard with real consequences for healthcare workers, patients, and the healthcare system as a whole. 

Recognizing the signs early is the first step toward prevention and recovery. 

From emotional exhaustion to a loss of purpose, these symptoms are not a personal failing, they are a reflection of chronic, systemic strain.

In Part Two, we’ll explore why EMS providers and other frontline healthcare workers are particularly vulnerable to burnout. 

We’ll also highlight strategies to prevent, manage, and recover from burnout - both individually and as a team - so we can protect not only our own well-being, but also the quality of care we deliver every day.

Further Reading:
  • Demerouti, E., Bakker, A. B., Nachreiner, F., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2001) The Job Demands-Resources Model of Burnout. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86(3), 499–512. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.86.3.499
  • Maslach, C., & Jackson, S. E. (1981) The Measurement of Experienced Burnout. Journal of Occupational Behavior, 2(2), 99–113. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.4030020205
  • Maslach, C., Schaufeli, W. B., & Leiter, M. P. (2001) Job BurnoutAnnual Review of Psychology, 52, 397–422. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.397
  • Mental Health First Aid Staff (2015) Mental Health First Aid USA (1st Ed.). National Council for Behavioral Health.
  • Lanzi, R. G.(2025) Holistic Health: Bridging Disability and Mental Well Being Promotion Through Community Engagement. ACSM’s Health and Fitness Journal, 29 (2): 48-55
  • Leiter, M. P., & Maslach, C. (2016) Understanding The Burnout Experience: Recent Research & Its Implications For Psychiatry. World Psychiatry, 15(2), 103–111. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20311
  • Weinberg, R. S., & Gould, D. (2019Foundations of Sport and Exercise Psychology (7th Ed.). Human Kinetics.
  • World Health Organization. (2019) Burnout, An “Occupational Phenomenon”: International Classification of Diseases. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/mental_health/evidence/burn-out/en/

Monday, June 02, 2025

EMS Education - Advisor: Basic Life Support (BLS)

 


The Advisor: Basic Life Support (BLS) program is a specialized certification pathway developed by the AHA for individuals who have successfully completed the cognitive portion of the HeartCode® BLS course but cannot physically perform the motor skills of CPR due to a disability.

Rather than demonstrating the physical actions (like chest compressions or AED pad placement), participants demonstrate competency by advising another person through those steps — showing they fully understand the why, when, and how of BLS.

Purpose & Importance
This program:
  • Promotes inclusivity in lifesaving education by recognizing that knowledge is just as critical as physical ability.
  • Allows people with physical disabilities to become certified in BLS and empowered to guide and direct others during a real cardiac emergency.
  • Increases the number of trained individuals in a given community who can contribute during a medical crisis — even if they aren't able to perform CPR themselves.
Eligibility and Certification
To earn the Advisor: BLS certification card, participants must:
  1. Pass the HeartCode® BLS Provider Course cognitive exam (the same as all BLS providers).
Successfully demonstrate their ability to verbally direct another person in performing:
  • High-quality CPR
  • AED use
  • Basic resuscitation team skills
This is assessed by an AHA instructor, who ensures that the candidate can provide accurate, timely, and effective instructions that align with AHA guidelines.
The issued certification card is an Advisor: BLS card, which is distinct from the standard BLS Provider card — but still represents formal AHA-recognized certification.
Who Is It For?
This program is designed for:
  • Individuals with physical disabilities that prevent them from completing hands-on CPR testing.
  • Candidates who want to contribute to emergency preparedness in workplaces, schools, or communities, even if they cannot perform compressions themselves.
Impact and Accessibility
The Advisor: BLS program aligns with the AHA's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in resuscitation science and training. By expanding the definition of who can be trained and certified, the program:
  • Acknowledges the contributions and capabilities of persons with disabilities.
  • Increases the total number of CPR-capable bystanders in society — a crucial factor in improving out-of-hospital cardiac arrest outcomes.
  • Encourages organizations to embrace broader emergency readiness by including all capable team members.
Learn more about it here: https://newsroom.heart.org/news/new-program-developed-for-persons-with-disabilities-to-advise-others-on-cpr