The COVID-19 pandemic as a stress factor in the work of a paramedic.

Background: A paramedic is a person providing health services in a state of sudden threat to life or health. This profession is one of the most difficult and responsible, and the appearance of SARS-CoV-2 has made working in the healthcare system an incredible challenge. The aim of the study was to analyze the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the psychological condition of paramedics.

Material and methods: The research material was a database developed from a questionnaire administered to 300 active paramedics. Respondents answered questions about their subjective feelings and questions related to their experiences as paramedics during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Results: More than half of the respondents were infected with the SARS-CoV-2 and the majority contracted it at work. The survey showed that 11% of the respondents felt very high stress, 38.4% high and 32% moderate. Research has shown that very high, high and moderate levels of stress were experienced more often by paramedics in the 31-40 age group, and little or no stress in the 20-30 age group and paramedics with the longest professional experience less frequently declared experiencing stress at a very high or high level and less frequently experienced burnout in relation to paramedics working in the profession of 1-5 or 6-10 years.

Conclusions: The results of a study showed that performing professional duties during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic may have influenced paramedics' perceptions of their psychological condition, including subjective feelings of stress levels, social exclusion, or burnout. Med Pr. 2023;74(1):9-17.