Paramedics and the risks they face everyday in Illinois
Paramedics are licensed, emergency medical professionals who care for and treat patients who are sick or injured in emergency situations. As emergency service providers, paramedics often respond to emergency calls, administer medical treatments and transport patients to medical facilities. There are many cases where a paramedic may be involved in a life-and-death situation or in a position to assist a patient that is in a significant amount of distress.
As emergency responders, paramedics respond to calls at private homes, businesses, street intersections and numerous other locations. Day or night, rain or shine, they might be called upon to work indoors, outdoors and inside ambulances.
Saving lives is risky
According to a presentation from the National Association of State EMS Officials’ 2009 mid year meeting, EMS workers, including paramedics, are six times more likely to contract a serious illness, such as HIV, or to be injured at work, than employees in other occupations. This is, in large part, due to the nature of the job. Paramedics’ work is physically strenuous, stressful and exposes them to a number of risks. Some of the risks that paramedics face in Illinois and elsewhere include:
The potential for injury as a result of regular tasks such as bending, kneeling and lifting patients or by slipping or falling.
The possibility for exposure to contagions, infections, chemicals or other hazards.
The danger of being involved in a motor vehicle accident.
The threat of being attacked or assaulted by a combative patient or another person on the scene.
The chance of getting injured in a fire or explosion, or as a result of an unstable structure or surface.
In addition to injuries and illnesses, paramedics also run the risk of developing psychological conditions. It is not uncommon for emergency medical professionals to experience intense psychological stress. There are cases where paramedics develop post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of a severe trauma they endure on the job. Some paramedics may be affected by shift work syndrome because of their irregular, and often extended, workdays.
Reducing the risks
While there is no way to completely eliminate all of the potential hazards that paramedics face in Illinois and other states, there are things that can be done to reduce paramedics’ risks for injuries or illnesses. Always following safety procedures and protocols, such as wearing gloves, is one of the best ways for a paramedic to decrease the dangers in his or her job. It is also important for paramedics to be aware of their surroundings. Regularly washing hands to reduce the risk of infections and staying physically fit also tend to be helpful.
After completing law school Donald became an assistant Attorney General for 7 years and was assigned to the Industrial Commission Division. During that time he spent evenings establishing his own firm. Donald became a founding partner of a large workers’ compensation/personal injury firm but decided to leave the firm in 1990 to start a smaller “boutique” firm with the belief that bigger isn’t always better!
Related Posts
13 Sep, 2016
Turbulence Causes a Wave of Injuries for Flight AttendantsRecent reports reveal that severe turbulence has been responsible for a wave of injuries involving flight attendants in the past few years. Although numerous passengers have become severely injured as well, flight attendants are at a much higher risk of suffering significant, turbulence-related injuries that result in medical treatment, lost time from work, disability, and even death.
12 Sep, 2016
The Rate of Workplace Injuries Continues to DeclineThe United States Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported that the rate of employer-reported occupational injuries and illness continued to decline in 2015. According to the report, there were about 2.9 million workplace injuries and illnesses reported by private sector employers -- down approximately 48,000 from 2014. With about three reported cases per 100 workers, the rate was lower than it had been since 2002. Aside from 2012, the pattern of decline has been steady for the past 13 years. According to Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA David Michaels, however, the numbers are still too high.
20 Jun, 2016
Workplace Safety: Preventing FallsFalls account for a significant portion of workplace injuries. They occur in office buildings, retail stores, warehouses, in hospitals and on construction sites. No occupation is immune or safe from falls.
Falls cover a diverse range of injuries including slips, trips, and drops from several stories. Most falls are nonfatal and not serious but, especially in construction, they constitute a significant portion of overall worker accidents. As a result, enormous energy, money and time are spent to curb the number of falls American workers experience.
