Learning and technology grad on mindfulness for paramedics

Master of Arts in Learning and Technology grad Sean Hackett spoke with insideottawavalley.com about his thesis, which investigated the relationship between stress and complacency among paramedics.

Here is an excerpt:

Hackett’s research was inspired by witnessing his son Archer, who has a rare congenital heart condition, not receive the best care possible.

“He had excellent care, but there were a number of times that routine care would have negatively affected his rare condition,” he said. “Just from following standard practices, some of the treatments they would give to a cardiac patient would have really harmed him. It was scary."

Hackett began to wonder how these mistakes could happen to someone who chose to go into the health profession and received an excellent education.

Through his research, Hackett discovered two reasons for these mistakes: stress and complacency.

“Our society is stressful with day-to-day things that everybody worries about including mortgage payments, retirement savings and sick loved ones,” he said. “With paramedics, you’re looking at chronic stresses such as new shift work, unpredictable meal times [sic] and unpredictable sleep schedules and acute stresses that are extreme in the moment such as a child in cardiac arrest.”

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