EMS Words of Wisdom - Treat Them Right

 

EMS Behavioral Emergencies - Social Anxiety In A Time Of Normality

As EMS providers, it's crucial to have a well-rounded understanding of various medical conditions and mental health issues to offer the best care possible to patients. 

Social anxiety is one such condition that can significantly impact a patient's well-being and response to treatment. Here's what you need to know about this topic:

Recognizing Social Anxiety

Feelings of anxiety can be a common response when individuals are exposed to unfamiliar situations or new people. When people experience social anxiety, they may feel apprehensive or awkward when around others and might find it uncomfortable to engage in conversations. These feelings often improve as individuals become more familiar with their surroundings and peers.

Social Phobia

Social anxiety, when it becomes debilitating and significantly affects a person's life and choices, is referred to as social phobia. It can hinder one's ability to participate in social situations or even be around other people. EMS providers should be aware of the signs and symptoms of social phobia, as patients with this condition may experience heightened distress during medical emergencies.

The Impact of Social Anxiety

People with social anxiety fear negative evaluation by others and worry about potentially embarrassing themselves. They are concerned about being judged for displaying physical signs of anxiety, such as blushing, shaking, or sweating. This fear often leads individuals to avoid social situations where they might be scrutinized. For EMS providers, this avoidance can complicate patient interactions during emergencies, as those with social anxiety may be particularly distressed by the presence of unfamiliar individuals.

EMS Providers' Role

EMS providers should approach patients with social anxiety with sensitivity and empathy. Understanding that these individuals may experience heightened anxiety in social situations is essential. It's important to create a calm and non-judgmental environment during patient care. Effective communication can make a significant difference in how patients with social anxiety respond to treatment.

Seeking Help

Encourage patients to seek professional help for their social anxiety. It's a real challenge, but there are treatments available that can significantly improve their quality of life. By offering support and information about available resources, EMS providers can contribute to their patients' overall well-being.

Recognizing social anxiety and its impact on patients is vital for EMS providers. Compassion, patience, and effective communication are key when providing care to individuals with social anxiety. By acknowledging this condition and offering support, EMS providers can make a positive difference in the lives of those they serve.

#Anxiety #LifeIsPrecious #MentalHealthMatters #YouAreStrong #SocialAnxiety

Black Lives Matter - Perspective

#BlackLivesMatter #Perspective #BeAntiRacist
#ClaireSaccardi #CareForYourCommunity

#JusticeForBreonnaTaylor

#BlackLives Matter #Perspective 

#BeAntiRacist #CareForYourCommunity

Thought For The Day

#BlackLives Matter #Perspective 

#BeAntiRacist #CareForYourCommunity

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

Do not go gentle into that good night,

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,

Because their words had forked no lightning they

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright

Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,

And learn, too late, they grieve it on its way,

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight

Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,

Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

- Dylan Thomas - 

#LifeIsPrecious #AMomentInTime #Mindfulness

Thought For The Day

It is unfortunate that we often forget about the importance of gratitude. It is simply a thankful appreciation for what we receive, from others, and life in general. 

Being grateful is a way to acknowledge the kindness and goodness that exists in the world. I am grateful for my friends, my loved ones, and for being alive.

#LifeIsPrecious #Gratitude #Kindness

Copying With Anxiety In A Time Of COVID-19

 Illustrator: Kate Allen

It is not uncommon to experience anxiety and fear when hearing information about an infectious disease that is impacting individuals across the globe. Social distancing is also causing us all to temporarily change our daily routine, which can feel uncomfortable.

It is important to learn the facts related to the risks and speak to your doctor about any concerns you may have about your own health and COVID-19. If you are experiencing anxiety or fear related to COVID-19, these tips may help you feel more comfortable. 

It is normal to feel a range of emotions when you hear about COVID-19 in the news or in your social/family circle. Emotions may include:

• Depression

• Anxiety

• Fear
• Anger

Everything you feel and think is normal. However, at times our feelings keep us from living our day to day life in a way that works for us. This can happen when our emotions impact our ability to make decisions or carry on with our activities of daily life. 

If you ever feel overwhelmed by your feelings, there are actions you can take to begin to feel more in control. Options to help you deal with your feelings include:

• Hobbies

• Exercise

• Meditation

• Listening to music
• Take time outdoors
• Talking to your doctor
• Talk to your friends and family
• Talking to a mental health professional

• Taking a break from news media and social media

• Learning about COVID-19 and understanding the actual risks

Learning the facts about COVID-19 can be the most helpful way to help alleviate anxiety and fear. For official guidance, you can visit the Centers for Disease Control website and the Wyoming Information Sharing Platform (WISP).

Once you educate yourself, if you are still feeling anxiety, it may be helpful to get understanding and empathy from a mental health professional who is knowledgeable about anxiety and how to manage it.

For immediate and confidential support 24/7, you can call 211. If you see a mental health professional already, this would be a good time to call and speak to them about your thoughts and feelings.

Give yourself time and space to talk about how you feel anytime your thoughts and emotions become intrusive or uncomfortable. You always deserve the opportunity to explore what is on your mind, and help is always available by calling 211. 

Learning the facts about COVID-19, washing your hands, avoiding touching your face, and finding activities that distract you from virus news are all excellent ways to make yourself feel better. Know that there is a wealth of resources, education, and support available to you.

 Illustrator: Kate Allen

#Anxiety #YouAreStrong

#LifeIsPrecious #DuringATimeOfPlague #MentalHealthMatters

Thought For The Day

Image Credit: Joanna Watala

A powerful, emotionally provocative photograph of two beautiful women with similar body image issues; they simply handled their emotional baggage differently.

If our eyes saw souls instead of bodies, what would we actually define as being beautiful? Would there be as many people craving the unachievable ‘perfect’ look?

Remember, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, there is no such thing as perfect.

More of Joanna Watala's images can be found on Instagram.

#BlackAndWhite #Beauty #LifeIsPrecious

Why Am I Posting This? So We Don’t Forget....

Why am I posting this? So we don’t forget.... 😷🧤😥

Today is Sunday, April 26, 2020. Next year & then every year after, this status will appear in my memories feed, for as long as Facebook exists. And it will be an annual reminder that life is precious & that nothing should be taken for granted. 

We are where we are with what we have. Let's be grateful 💜

- We are at 39 days of social isolation.

- The Dollar is worth $ 5.32, the Euro $ 5.77, and the British Pound $ 6.54.

- Schools have been closed since mid-March and are teaching remotely on-line. This will continue for the rest of the school year.

- There are lines / tapes inside the stores to keep people 6 feet apart.

- Bars and restaurants only for home delivery & pick-up.

- Parks, beaches, and walk-in places are not accessible to the public.

- All sports competitions have been canceled.

- All festivals and entertainment events have been banned.

- Weddings, family celebrations, and birthdays have been canceled.

- Funerals limited to 10-20 people.

- People are doing drive-by parades to celebrate birthdays!

- Young kids can’t understand why they can only see grandparents & other extended family and friends on a screen or thru a window if someone visits in person.

- Hugs and kisses are not given.

- The churches are closed or online.

- We have to stay away from each other more than a meter.

- Shortage of masks and gloves in hospitals.

- There are fewer ventilators than there should be.

- People are wearing masks, some places even REQUIRE that you wear them to enter! People are even making their own masks for sale or donation to medical facilities!

- Toilet paper, hand sanitizer, antibacterial wipes, and anything Lysol or Clorox is in short supply and limited per person...IF you can even find them!

- Stores are closing early to disinfect everything. (24-hour stores are even closing by 9pm)

- Store checkouts, pharmacies, and even fast food drive-thru windows have added plexiglass between employee and customer. Have to reach around or under to pay!

- You can't find isopropyl alcohol easily. .. supply per person is limited.

- Australia, USA, and Europe have closed their borders.

- Western Australia has been divided into 9 territories & an instant $1,500 fine issued for crossing the border without a valid reason. (Transport workers, Essential services, etc)

- No one is traveling for leisure. Airports empty. Tourism has the worst crisis in history.

This text comes from an anonymous author, it's not mine. I copied because I want to remember it too. 

#AMomentInTime #LifeIsPrecious 

#COVID19 #DuringATimeOfPlague

Thought For The Day

During these interesting times, and throughout life, we will discover that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view.

Thought For The Day

I am truly grateful to those friends in my life who greet me with a smile, a hearty handshake, even a big hug and ask ‘how are YOU’ doing?’. 

If you don’t have it you to be kind, compassionate, even forgiving, then I invite you to cross the street, keep looking dead ahead, and walk the feck out of my life.

#LifeIsPrecious #Kindness #Mindfulness

Thought For The Day

I just got done watching the ‘The Parole Officer’, starring Steve Cogan, on Netflix. A wonderfully quirky British movie from 2001, which is full of awkward moments, silly humor, sincerity, and innuendo.

If any of my North American friends want to get an insight into the culture I identify with, see some of the landscapes that abound in the North of England, and get a handle on my witticisms that are often mistaken for sarcasm, then I recommend you watch this film.

And yes, I laughed, I cried and felt terribly homesick for the vistas of Manchester and the Yorkshire Dales. And it appears, after all these years, I still have a crush on Lena Headey! If you are a GOT fan, then you will spot some of your favorite actors from that series here, looking much younger.

Watch and enjoy 😀

#LifeIsPrecious #EnjoyTheMoment #Humor

Thought For The Day

"A truck loaded with thousands of copies of Roget's Thesaurus crashed yesterday losing its entire load. Witnesses were stunned, startled, aghast, taken aback, stupefied, confused, shocked, rattled, paralyzed, dazed, bewildered, mixed up, surprised, awed, dumbfounded, nonplussed, flabbergasted, astounded, amazed, confounded, astonished, overwhelmed, horrified, numbed, speechless, and perplexed."

#ThoughtForTheaDay #LifeIsPrecious #LaughOutLoud

Thought For The Day

#LifeIsPrecious #Love #Hugs #Mindfulness

New Beginnings in 2020

I have been told I am courageous, but I feel scared. 

I have been told I am brave, but I feel anxious. 

I have been told I am sweet, but I feel bitter. 

I have been told I am wonderful, but I simply wonder. 

2020 is a new decade for this century. 

It will soon be a new decade for me.

2020 will also be a new beginning for me. The magic comes from my friends and loved ones whom I trust when they say ‘it will be okay’.

#LifeIsPrecious #NewBeginnings #ReflectivePractice

Saving The Natural World The Leave No Trace Way

Want to be a part of the movement? Become a Leave No Trace member today to show your support of the outdoors.

Go to: www.lnt.org

#LeaveNoTrace #OnePlanet #LifeIsPrecious

Reflecting On Happiness

For many people, December can often be a big month for reflection. What goals have you achieved in 2018? What can you do at the close of the year that you couldn’t do at the start of it? How have you made a difference to others? Have you been happy in your work and your life?

Here are four suggestions for enjoying a little more happiness at the end of the year and into 2019:

1. Let go of the rules you have for happiness and success.

You don’t have to be perfect, work hard, go it alone or suffer to earn happiness or be successful. Happiness does not come wrapped in a box, it comes when you enjoy the gift inside every moment.

2. Fuel your passion and do what inspires and delights you.

Ask yourself “when am I at my happiest?” and do more of those things you enjoy. Start by being kind to yourself and indulge in your personal version of happiness, success, and joy.

3. Enjoy the simple pleasures.

Laughter, fun, and dancing to your favorite music costs nothing, yet can be priceless. Play a game, read a book, or go for a walk and try and spot all the colors of a rainbow. What is on your list of simple pleasures?

4. Make time for love and friendship. 

Don’t be so busy with others that you neglect your most important relationships at work and in your life. Who would you like to spend more time with, be more loving with, and have more fun with?

Go to: Nathaniel Branden

#LifeIsPrecious #Reflections #Mindfulness

Leadership Development - Nurturing a Growth Mindset

Scholars are deeply gratified when their ideas catch on. And they are even more gratified when their ideas make a difference (Carol Dweck, 2016). The growth mindset concept is spreading and being embraced in a number of sectors as part of their curriculum.

But popularity has a price and people begin to distort ideas, and therefore fail to reap their benefits (Carol Dweck, 2016). For instance, some believe a growth mindset is just about praising and rewarding effort. This isn’t true for students in schools, and it’s not true for employees in organizations. In both settings, outcomes matter.

Furthermore, some organizations espouse an ambitious "adopt a growth mindset, and good things will happen" philosophy. Such mission statements are wonderful things, aren't they? You can’t argue with lofty values like growth, empowerment, or innovation. But what do they mean to employees if the company doesn’t implement policies that make them real and attainable?

Organizations that embody a growth mindset encourage appropriate risk-taking, knowing that some risks won’t work out (Carol Dweck, 2016). They reward employees for important and useful lessons learned, even if a project does not meet its original goals.

However, the following infographic serves a purpose in that it emphasizes a relational dynamic between the individual and the growth mindset concept (Steve Wood, 2018). In that, no matter what stage of your career you are in, nurturing and preserving your own growth is absolutely essential, rather than devolve that responsibility to the organization you are part of. In that way, you are more likely to be an agent of change as a leader as well as be better invested as an active follower within your team.

Such are my thoughts on the matter, for now...

#Leadership #GrowthMindset #Development

The Leave No Trace Seven Principles

Copyright: The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics. 

To reprint the Leave No Trace Seven Principles, include copyright language and please do not alter them without review from the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics.

The Leave No Trace Seven Principles are also available for various environments and activities.

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare

• Know the regulations and special concerns for the area you’ll visit.

• Prepare for extreme weather, hazards, and emergencies.

• Schedule your trip to avoid times of high use.

• Visit in small groups when possible. Consider splitting larger groups into smaller groups.

• Repackage food to minimize waste.

• Use a map and compass to eliminate the use of marking paint, rock cairns or flagging.

2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

• Durable surfaces include established trails and campsites, rock, gravel, dry grasses or snow.

• Protect riparian areas by camping at least 200 feet from lakes and streams.

• Good campsites are found, not made. Altering a site is not necessary.

• In popular areas:

• Concentrate use on existing trails and campsites.

• Walk single file in the middle of the trail, even when wet or muddy.

• Keep campsites small. Focus activity in areas where vegetation is absent.

• In pristine areas:

• Disperse use to prevent the creation of campsites and trails.

• Avoid places where impacts are just beginning.

3. Dispose of Waste Properly

• Pack it in, pack it out. Inspect your campsite and rest areas for trash or spilled foods. Pack out all trash, leftover food and litter.

• Deposit solid human waste in catholes dug 6 to 8 inches deep, at least 200 feet from water, camp and trails. Cover and disguise the cathole when finished.

• Pack out toilet paper and hygiene products.

• To wash yourself or your dishes, carry water 200 feet away from streams or lakes and use small amounts of biodegradable soap. Scatter strained dishwater.

4. Leave What You Find

• Preserve the past: examine, but do not touch cultural or historic structures and artifacts.

• Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them.

• Avoid introducing or transporting non-native species.

• Do not build structures, furniture, or dig trenches.

5. Minimize Campfire Impacts

• Campfires can cause lasting impacts to the backcountry. Use a lightweight stove for cooking and enjoy a candle lantern for light.

• Where fires are permitted, use established fire rings, fire pans, or mound fires.

• Keep fires small. Only use sticks from the ground that can be broken by hand.

• Burn all wood and coals to ash, put out campfires completely, then scatter cool ashes.

6. Respect Wildlife

• Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach them.

• Never feed animals. Feeding wildlife damages their health, alters natural behaviors, and exposes them to predators and other dangers.

• Protect wildlife and your food by storing rations and trash securely.

• Control pets at all times, or leave them at home.

• Avoid wildlife during sensitive times: mating, nesting, raising young, or winter.

8. Be Considerate of Other Visitors

• Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience.

• Be courteous. Yield to other users on the trail.

• Step to the downhill side of the trail when encountering pack stock.

• Take breaks and camp away from trails and other visitors.

• Let nature’s sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises.

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