INTRODUCTION Since its inception, NDMS has focused on the delivery of quality disaster medical care to victims and to the correct development and utilization of DMATs to provide that care. As a result, activities have been concentrated on organizational activities, training, and supply issues. The cares, concerns, and problems of the individual DMAT member have been relegated to a level of secondary importance, at least in the overall picture. Now that DMATs have attained a higher degree of sophistication and experience, it is incumbent upon NDMS and DMAT leadership to devote time to explore, address, and answer the typical DMAT member’s problems associated with an actual deployment. This survey is one attempt to accomplish that. For TADMAT or any other DMAT to effect change with regard to members’ fears, perceptions, concerns, etc., it would be very helpful for each member to take the necessary time to complete this survey. The survey is strictly anonymous. It has the cooperation, support and input from the TADMAT leadership. The results may be used to influence the MedTeams educational program, in which you will participate during the October drill, in a manner that would be more relevant to disaster medical response teams. TADMAT is the first DMAT to be part of this pilot project. Therefore, we need your assistance. Your completion of this survey will not only have impact upon TADMAT, but may also influence the structure of other DMATs across the country. Please read the instructions carefully, write clearly, and carefully circle the response that most likely fits you. If there are issues or concerns or problems that have not been contained in this survey, please feel free to include them at the end. I thank you in advance for your cooperation. Paul Rega MD Senior Medical Officer Part 1: Personal Demographic Questions 1. What is your total years involved with the DMAT: < 1 yr 1 - 5 yrs 6 - 10 yrs 11 - 15 yrs > 15 yrs
Since its inception, NDMS has focused on the delivery of quality disaster medical care to victims and to the correct development and utilization of DMATs to provide that care. As a result, activities have been concentrated on organizational activities, training, and supply issues. The cares, concerns, and problems of the individual DMAT member have been relegated to a level of secondary importance, at least in the overall picture.
Now that DMATs have attained a higher degree of sophistication and experience, it is incumbent upon NDMS and DMAT leadership to devote time to explore, address, and answer the typical DMAT member’s problems associated with an actual deployment. This survey is one attempt to accomplish that. For TADMAT or any other DMAT to effect change with regard to members’ fears, perceptions, concerns, etc., it would be very helpful for each member to take the necessary time to complete this survey.
The survey is strictly anonymous. It has the cooperation, support and input from the TADMAT leadership. The results may be used to influence the MedTeams educational program, in which you will participate during the October drill, in a manner that would be more relevant to disaster medical response teams. TADMAT is the first DMAT to be part of this pilot project. Therefore, we need your assistance. Your completion of this survey will not only have impact upon TADMAT, but may also influence the structure of other DMATs across the country. Please read the instructions carefully, write clearly, and carefully circle the response that most likely fits you. If there are issues or concerns or problems that have not been contained in this survey, please feel free to include them at the end. I thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Paul Rega MD
Senior Medical Officer
Part 1: Personal Demographic Questions
< 1 yr
2. Principal position on the DMAT
Command staff Doctor, Physicians Assistant or Nurse Practitioner RN, LPN Emergency Medical Technician (EMT, EMTA, EMTI, EMTP, etc) Supply, Equipment Maint Communications Security Clerical Other
3. Specify DMAT team or agency, ie: (OH-1 DMAT, IN-2 DMAT, etc)
Affiliation:
(These would be deployments where the team left home and victims were treated)
0 1 2 3 4 5 > 5
5. Number of staging / preparatory disaster deployments:
(These would be deployments where the team left home, but no patient treatment was done by your team)
0 1 2 3 4 5 >5
6. Sex
Male Female
7. Age (in years)
8. Occupation outside of the DMAT:
Health Care Non-Health Care Unemployed Retired
9. Prior Military Experience (any branch of the uniformed services)
Yes No
10. Highest level of education
Grammar School High School Technical / Diploma School 2 Year College Degree 4 Year College Degree Post-Graduate
11. Prior experience with the Incident Command System outside of the DMAT
12. Current or prior management experience (> than 1 year and supervisor of > 5 persons)
13. Current employment status
Full-Time Part-Time Self-Employed Consultant Unemployed Retired
Part 2: The main questionaire
14. Employment / Employer Issues: Since you have become an active member of the DMAT, how frequently have each of the following issues been or could be a problem for you, prior, during or after a deployment. Always Often Sometimes Seldom Never Requesting leave from work Receiving permission to deploy Lack of sufficient information regarding time away from work Lost income during deployment Loss of job upon return Psychologically able to work upon return Return to work beyond time originally established Increased workload for co-workers by your absence Employer resentment Co-worker resentment 15. Personal / Family preparedness issues: Since you have become an active member of the DMAT, how frequently have each of the following issues been or could be a problem for you, prior, during or after a deployment. Always Often Sometimes Seldom Never Lack of personal preparedness for deployment Posponing / cancelling family responsibilities Family health concerns during deployment Family safety issues during deployment Lack of income to the family during deployment 16. Performance of Duties: Since you have become an active member of the DMAT, how frequently have each of the following issues been or could be a problem for you, prior, during or after a deployment. Always Often Sometimes Seldom Never Performance in patient care duties outside of your normal day-to-day duties Unfamiliarity with emergency medications that may be prescribed for patients Unfamiliarity with routine meds that may be prescribed for patients Unfamiliarity with emergency treatments or procedures ordered for patient care Successful completion of tasks assigned by DMAT leadership Teamwork issues working with DMAT members (fair workload, tasks, help) Working with unfamiliar doctors/nurses/medics during patient stabilization Recognizing / managing a medical condition / crisis outside of your expertise Fulfilling an improper or erroneous order / command Unfamiliarity working with colleagues on your team Unfamiliarity working with colleagues on other teams 17. Personal Comfort: Since you have become an active member of the DMAT, how frequently have each of the following issues been or could be a problem for you, prior, during or after a deployment. Always Often Sometimes Seldom Never Insufficient recreation time Insufficient rest Lack of privacy Lack of personal comforts Maintenance of personal hygiene Unusual diet Personal health Lonliness Temporary loss of family / friends Personal safety Physical labor involved with deployment Mental labor involved with deployment Lack of alcoholic beverages The wait for things to happen 18. Flow of Communication: Since you have become an active member of the DMAT, how frequently have each of the following issues been or could be a problem for you, prior, during or after a deployment. Always Often Sometimes Seldom Never Timely personal notification prior to deployment Minimal communications with family / friends during deployment Interaction with unfamiliar team members Interaction with members from external agencies (other teams, MSU, locals) Communications within the team DMAT updates / briefings during deployment Lack of information about time of return home Insufficient information about disaster situations / team mission 19. Demobilization Issues: Since you have become an active member of the DMAT, how frequently have each of the following issues been or could be a problem for you, prior, during or after a deployment. Always Often Sometimes Seldom Never Readjustment to family / friends Readjustment to job Readjustment to life in general Resuming normal work / sleep cycle DMAT Separation Anxiety (missing the closeness of team members post deploy) Discussions during Critical Incident Stress Management (CISD/CISM) activities Federal Paycheck Personal after-action evaluation of your performance by team-mates Personal after-action evaluation of your performance by team leadership 20. Chain of Command / Leadership: Since you have become an active member of the DMAT, how frequently have each of the following issues been or could be a problem for you, prior, during or after a deployment. Always Often Sometimes Seldom Never Competency of NDMS leadership Competency of MSU leadership Competency of DMAT leadership Following the chain of command / incident command system Obeying orders / directives from DMAT leaders Ability of DMAT leaders to empathize/address members personal concerns Ability of DMAT leaders to empathize/address members work-related concerns Obeying orders / directives from external agencies or DMAT, MSU or locals You, yourself, giving orders/directives to others Accountability to team 24-7 21. For the DMAT annual, we are collecting ancedotal, humorous, interesting or noteworthy stories regarding your experiences on the team, deployments, etc. If you have something to share that you think would be of interest to a reader who is learning about what it means to be on a DMAT, or what the DMAT does, or how the DMAT affects the lives of those we respond to help, please relate that to us here: Thanks for participating. We look forward to seeing you during the October 6th and 7th training. It will be held on the MCO Campus, where we have held drills and training in past years. Please call the Voicemail after October 1st for updates about the Fall Field Exercise: (419) 383-5163 Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. Select Submit Survey now to send your responses to us.
Always Often Sometimes Seldom Never Requesting leave from work Receiving permission to deploy Lack of sufficient information regarding time away from work Lost income during deployment Loss of job upon return Psychologically able to work upon return Return to work beyond time originally established Increased workload for co-workers by your absence Employer resentment Co-worker resentment
Always Often Sometimes Seldom Never Lack of personal preparedness for deployment Posponing / cancelling family responsibilities Family health concerns during deployment Family safety issues during deployment Lack of income to the family during deployment
Always Often Sometimes Seldom Never Performance in patient care duties outside of your normal day-to-day duties Unfamiliarity with emergency medications that may be prescribed for patients Unfamiliarity with routine meds that may be prescribed for patients Unfamiliarity with emergency treatments or procedures ordered for patient care Successful completion of tasks assigned by DMAT leadership Teamwork issues working with DMAT members (fair workload, tasks, help) Working with unfamiliar doctors/nurses/medics during patient stabilization Recognizing / managing a medical condition / crisis outside of your expertise Fulfilling an improper or erroneous order / command Unfamiliarity working with colleagues on your team Unfamiliarity working with colleagues on other teams
Always Often Sometimes Seldom Never Insufficient recreation time Insufficient rest Lack of privacy Lack of personal comforts Maintenance of personal hygiene Unusual diet Personal health Lonliness Temporary loss of family / friends Personal safety Physical labor involved with deployment Mental labor involved with deployment Lack of alcoholic beverages The wait for things to happen
Always Often Sometimes Seldom Never Timely personal notification prior to deployment Minimal communications with family / friends during deployment Interaction with unfamiliar team members Interaction with members from external agencies (other teams, MSU, locals) Communications within the team DMAT updates / briefings during deployment Lack of information about time of return home Insufficient information about disaster situations / team mission
Always Often Sometimes Seldom Never Readjustment to family / friends Readjustment to job Readjustment to life in general Resuming normal work / sleep cycle DMAT Separation Anxiety (missing the closeness of team members post deploy) Discussions during Critical Incident Stress Management (CISD/CISM) activities Federal Paycheck Personal after-action evaluation of your performance by team-mates Personal after-action evaluation of your performance by team leadership
Always Often Sometimes Seldom Never Competency of NDMS leadership Competency of MSU leadership Competency of DMAT leadership Following the chain of command / incident command system Obeying orders / directives from DMAT leaders Ability of DMAT leaders to empathize/address members personal concerns Ability of DMAT leaders to empathize/address members work-related concerns Obeying orders / directives from external agencies or DMAT, MSU or locals You, yourself, giving orders/directives to others Accountability to team 24-7
Thanks for participating. We look forward to seeing you during the October 6th and 7th training. It will be held on the MCO Campus, where we have held drills and training in past years. Please call the Voicemail after October 1st for updates about the Fall Field Exercise: (419) 383-5163
Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. Select Submit Survey now to send your responses to us.
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