Date of Award

4-2025

Degree Type

Capstone Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

Department

Occupational Therapy

First Advisor

Eric Schrank, BAS, CCT-Paramedic-IC

Second Advisor

Holly Grieves, OTD, OTRL

Abstract

Emergency medical service (EMS) students and providers work in high-stakes and high-stress environments with limited education on how to manage the psychological toll of the job. Research shows that EMS providers have a higher prevalence of mental health struggles and suicide than the general population, which demonstrates the strong need for awareness, education, intervention, and stigma reduction. Occupational therapy (OT) is very capable of supporting this population through mental wellness education and awareness, occupational balance, and trauma-informed self-care strategies. One goal of this capstone project was to create and disseminate multimedia resources for EMS students, providers, and their support systems. Resources included education on stress, burnout, and trauma; tools to support occupational functioning; strategies to increase resilience; and advocacy for supportive workplace environments. At the end of this project, subjective and informal survey responses from students demonstrated increased comfort when discussing mental health, increased confidence in locating resources for mental health, increased understanding of the impact of job-related stress and burnout, and interest in continued education. This project contributes to the field of OT by advocating our place in mental health, expanding awareness of OT’s value in nontraditional settings, and addressing an urgent need in the EMS community.

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