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Poll call: Are you cultivating meaningful relationships with your colleagues?

The depth of workplace relationships has a bigger impact on mental health than many providers realize

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The poll findings suggest that most EMS providers recognize the importance of camaraderie in their high-stress professional environment.

Photo/Garrard County (Ky.) EMS

Editor’s note: We’re inviting all EMTs and paramedics to take the and provide insight into the current state of EMS. This is your opportunity to influence the future of the profession;


By SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ Staff

A recent poll asked SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ readers how they would characterize their relationships with fellow providers and responders.

The data collected, along with several related responses to the state-of-the-industry What Paramedics Want in 2023 report, offers insight into the nature of relationships between EMS providers and their colleagues, and how it contributes to career satisfaction.

An overwhelming majority of poll respondents (93%) reported having some degree of positive association with their peers, with only 7% reporting they do not relate to their colleagues either on or off duty. These findings suggest that most EMS providers recognize the importance of camaraderie in their high-stress professional environment, even if such relationships don’t extend to personal life.

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However, stress appears to be a significant factor impacting these relationships, as 35% of EMS providers agreed that their stress level negatively impacts their relationships with coworkers. This finding from the 2023 What Paramedics Want report is critical, given the nature of the work and the subsequent high stress levels, which can strain a person’s ability to work in cooperation with other providers.

Interestingly, the dominant method of stress management reported by providers in the What Paramedics Report was increased communication with fellow responders. This suggests that, despite the stressors potentially impacting relationships, providers recognize the value of communication with their peers. Many find that sharing experiences with colleagues who understand the unique challenges of their profession can alleviate some of the pressures of their role.

Bottom line, while providers may have varying working relationships, a majority have a positive association with their colleagues. However, stress presents a challenge to these relationships, emphasizing the need for effective stress-management strategies within the EMS community.

Are you a current paramedic or EMT? Share your opinions or experience and help shape the future of the profession; take the now and let your voice be heard.

SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ is using generative AI to create some content that is edited and fact-checked by our editors.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
For more information on stress management for EMS providers and the state of the industry, please read and share the following articles with your social networks.
More staff, better leaders needed
Four steps to stopping the stress cycle
Join Fitch & Associates, SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ and EMS Survey Team to examine the perceptions and experiences of EMS providers across the country
Personal reactions to trauma take many forms, but some offer important clues that you may be experiencing PTSD