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NOTE: This document is provided for historical purposes only.
The authors ask you:
Aeromedical Evacuation (AE) has proven to be a critical link for the safe transport of wounded men and women from the battlefield to home station (Brannon, 2005). The aeromedical environment exposes patients and crewmembers to the “stresses of flight” which include decreased partial pressure of oxygen, barometric pressure and thermal changes, decreased humidity, noise, vibration, fatigue, and gravitational forces (AFI 41-307, 2005). Additionally, the aircraft lacks many of the amenities available in the in-patient hospital setting such as running water, pharmacies, and an opportunity to restock supplies. The resource limitations, extreme time pressures, multitasking requirements, uncertainty of patient conditions and numbers, and environmental stressors require that each crewmember be able to perform effectively in potentially stressful situations.
The consequences of ineffective crew performance as a result of stress include economic loss as well as the possibility of loss of life. Additionally, this study will provide essential information related to the effects of social support from aeromedical crewmembers which will serve to inform stakeholders regarding training and deployment practices.
According to Lazarus & Folkman (1984) perceived stress is based on the individual’s appraisal of the potential threat of stressors found in the environment. Therefore, individual’s sharing the same environmental stressors, such as aeromedical crewmembers, may or may not experience the same degree of perceived stress. The appraisal of stress by the individual elicits physiological responses (Selye, 1956) and influences team and individual performance resulting in lower-quality decisions (Janis & Mann, 1977; Keinan, 1987); more of a narrow focus by the individual (Baumeister, 1984; Butler & Baumeister, 1998); decreases in effective communication among team members (Cannon-Bowers & Salas, 1998), and yielding of control to others or superiors (Driskell, Carson & Moskal, 1988).
The proposed study will be a descriptive, non-experimental study conducted during an actual aeromedical training mission. The individual and team tasks performed by aeromedical crewmembers during the pre-flight and in-flight phases of the mission will be evaluated. The research questions proposed for this study are:
This study is a proposed study. Funding support will be sought through Tri-Service nursing research. Collaborators will be needed for consultation on the study design, research protocol and publication.
Baumeister, R. F. (1984). Choking under pressure: Self-consciousness and paradoxical effects of incentives on skillful performance. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 46, 610-620.
Butler, J., & Baumeister, R., (1998). The trouble with friendly faces: Skilled performance with a supportive audience. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75, 1213-1230.
Cannon-Bowers, J., & Salas, E., (1998). Making decisions under stress: Implications for individual and team training. Washington D.C. : American Psychological Association. Janis, I., & Mann, L.,(1977). Decision Making, New York: The Free Press.
Kenin, G., (1987). Decision making under stress: Scanning of alternatives under controllable and uncontrollable threats. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52, 639-644.
Lazarus, R., Folkman,S., (1984). Stress, Appraisal, and Coping. Springer
Publishing Company: NewYork.
Selye, H. (1956). The stress of life. New York: McGraw-Hill.
The findings and conclusions in this poster are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Citations to Web sites external to NIOSH do not constitute NIOSH endorsement of the sponsoring organizations or their programs or products. Furthermore, NIOSH is not responsible for the content of these Web sites.
