Spirituality of EMTs: a study of the spiritual nature of EMS workers and its effects on perceived happiness and prayers for patients.

Abstract

There is reason to believe that traumatic events experienced on the job make emergency medical services (EMS) workers more skeptical about their spiritual beliefs. Little is known about the spiritual lives and experiences of emergency medical technicians (EMTs). No studies have measured the responses of EMTs to the spiritual needs of their patients. This study investigates whether EMS workers are less spiritual than the average U.S. citizen, and what effect this has on prayer for patients and perceived happiness. Data were collected in a major metropolitan EMS system from 125 EMTs and paramedics through a questionnaire about their beliefs and behaviors regarding their spirituality. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients (r) were used to analyze variables. The religious attitudes of EMTs were compared with those of the general population as defined in the Gallup studies. Ninety-one percent of the EMS workers interviewed and 94% of Gallup's sample of the general population said they believe in God. The findings on other measures in the EMT sample also were very similar to those defined in the general population. Of the EMTs, 60% said they never have doubted the existence of God. Eighty-four percent believe God still works miracles, and 80% of the EMTs believe in life after death. Eighty-seven percent of EMS workers pray; 62% pray for their patients, and 54% pray for their coworkers. Frequency of church or synagogue attendance is positively and significantly correlated with the degree of perceived life happiness (r = 0.226, p < 0.025 > 0.005). Frequency of prayer also is correlated positively to perceived life happiness (r = 0.182, p < 0.025 > 0.005). Emergency medical services workers are interested and willing to talk about their spiritual lives. They do have more doubts about the existence of God than does the average civilian, but are just as spiritual. Those EMTs with more active spiritual lives perceive themselves as happier. The majority of EMS workers pray for their patients.