TY - JOUR
T1 - First responder resiliency echo
T2 - Innovative telementoring during the covid-19 pandemic
AU - Katzman, Joanna G.
AU - Tomedi, Laura E.
AU - Everly, George
AU - Greenwood-Ericksen, Margaret
AU - Romero, Elizabeth
AU - Rosenbaum, Nils
AU - Medrano, Jessica
AU - Menking, Paige
AU - Archer, Gaelyn R.D.
AU - Martin, Chamron
AU - Dow, Karina A.
AU - McCoy-Hayes, Shannon
AU - Katzman, Jeffrey W.
N1 - Funding Information:
provided through a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture #FP7099/USDA RCDI ARORA.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
PY - 2021/5/1
Y1 - 2021/5/1
N2 - The First Responder ECHO (Extension for Community Outcomes) program was established in 2019 to provide education for first responders on self-care techniques and resiliency while establishing a community of practice to alleviate the enormous stress due to trauma and substance misuse in the community. When the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic hit the United States (US) in March 2020, a tremendous strain was placed on first responders and healthcare workers, resulting in a program expansion to include stress mitigation strategies. From March 31, 2020, through December 31, 2020, 1530 unique first responders and frontline clinicians participated in the newly expanded First Responder Resiliency (FRR) ECHO. The robust curriculum included: psychological first aid, critical incident debriefing, moral distress, crisis management strategies, and self-care skills. Survey and focus group results demonstrated that, while overall stress levels did not decline, participants felt more confident using psychological first aid, managing and recognizing colleagues who needed mental health assistance, and taking time for self-care. Although first responders still face a higher level of stress as a result of their occupation, this FRR ECHO program improves stress management skills while providing weekly learning-listening sessions, social support, and a community of practice for all first responders.
AB - The First Responder ECHO (Extension for Community Outcomes) program was established in 2019 to provide education for first responders on self-care techniques and resiliency while establishing a community of practice to alleviate the enormous stress due to trauma and substance misuse in the community. When the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic hit the United States (US) in March 2020, a tremendous strain was placed on first responders and healthcare workers, resulting in a program expansion to include stress mitigation strategies. From March 31, 2020, through December 31, 2020, 1530 unique first responders and frontline clinicians participated in the newly expanded First Responder Resiliency (FRR) ECHO. The robust curriculum included: psychological first aid, critical incident debriefing, moral distress, crisis management strategies, and self-care skills. Survey and focus group results demonstrated that, while overall stress levels did not decline, participants felt more confident using psychological first aid, managing and recognizing colleagues who needed mental health assistance, and taking time for self-care. Although first responders still face a higher level of stress as a result of their occupation, this FRR ECHO program improves stress management skills while providing weekly learning-listening sessions, social support, and a community of practice for all first responders.
KW - COVID-19
KW - Emergency medical technician
KW - First responder
KW - Healthcare worker
KW - Law enforcement
KW - Paramedic
KW - Resiliency
KW - Self-care
KW - Stress
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85105162842&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85105162842&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/ijerph18094900
DO - 10.3390/ijerph18094900
M3 - Article
C2 - 34064501
AN - SCOPUS:85105162842
SN - 1661-7827
VL - 18
JO - International journal of environmental research and public health
JF - International journal of environmental research and public health
IS - 9
M1 - 4900
ER -