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Stress Levels in EMS Personnel: A Longitudinal Study with Work‐schedule Modification
Author(s) -
Cydulka Rita K.,
Emerman Charles L.,
Shade Bruce,
Kubincanek John
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
academic emergency medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.221
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1553-2712
pISSN - 1069-6563
DOI - 10.1111/j.1553-2712.1994.tb02439.x
Subject(s) - medicine , work schedule , schedule , emergency medical services , work stress , emergency medicine , medical emergency , work (physics) , operations management , scheduling (production processes) , management , mechanical engineering , engineering , economics
Objective: To determine if stress levels of emergency medical services (EMS) personnel can be reduced by adjusting work schedules to personnel preferences. Methods: A prospective, longitudinal, cohort study with a work‐schedule modification intervention was performed. All EMS personnel employed by the City of Cleveland EMS were eligible for participation. EMS employees voluntarily completed an abbreviated medical personnel stress survey (MPSS‐R), a 20‐question validated stress‐assessment tool, in September 1989, February 1991, and September 1991. A new scheduling pattern was introduced March 1991. At that time, 27 EMS employees volunteered to work the new schedule (12 hours/shift: 3 days on/2 days off/2 days on/3 days off). The remaining 109 EMS employees remained on the old schedule (8 hours/shift: 6 days on/2 days off). Results: Mean MPSS‐R stress scores increased significantly from September 1990 (61.9 ± 7.87) to September 1991 (65.08± 7.23) (p < 0.05). In September 1991, mean stress scores of EMS personnel working the new schedule (64.39± 7.82) were not significantly lower than stress scores of EMS personnel working the old schedule (65.25 ± 7.10). Conclusion: Stress in EMS personnel increased despite a new schedule pattern designed to accommodate the preferences of EMS personnel.