Is Dispatching to a Traffic Accident as Stressful as Being in One? Acute Stress Disorder, Secondary Traumatic Stress, and Occupational Burnout in 911 Emergency Dispatchers
B. Trachik, Madeline R. Marks, MS, Clint Bowers, PhD, Greg Scott, MBA, EMD-QI, Christopher Olola, PhD, Isabel Gardett, PhD
Mar 22, 2015|AEDR 2015 Vol. 3 Issue 1|Original Research
Emergency dispatchers are exposed to potentially traumatic events at rates that likely exceed that of emergency first responders. Although not physically present at the time of the incident, it is likely that this repeated exposure in concert with highly stressful work conditions could lead to potentially negative emotional and physical outcomes. To date few studies have examined rates of stress related pathology and subsequent impairment in emergency dispatchers. The following study takes an initial step to investigate rates of Acute Stress Disorder, Secondary Traumatic Stress and...