After publishing the results of a landmark study of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among public safety dispatchers, a university professor is now looking for additional participants for health and wellness research. Dr. Michelle Lilly, Ph.D. is looking for both dispatcher trainees in their first four months of work, and dispatchers with at least one year of experience. Lilly is an assistant professor at Northern Illinois University, specializing in clinical psychology, and is gathering data to determine factors that put dispatchers at risk for job attrition and low job satisfaction. “We are hopeful that this information can be used to directly inform prevention, training, and hiring practices,” Lilly says. Participation is completely anonymous, Lilly emphasizes, and consists of a set of periodic surveys. Read the full project description after the break, along with contact information if you’d like to participate.
We are looking for trainees in their first 4 months of training. Participants would complete a baseline survey that takes approximately 1.5 to 2 hours to complete. It is completed online and can be done in multiple sittings. Participants receive $30 for completing the first survey and also get entered for a chance to win one of two $100 cash prizes. We do 30-45 minute follow up surveys every three months following the first survey for one year. There is also a drawing for one of two $100 cash prizes for completing each of the follow up surveys. Our goal is to identify factors that are associated with greater risk for development of poor health, job attrition, and/or low job satisfaction. Participants are asked to stay enrolled even if they do not complete training so that we can know what happens to trainees who attrite (or are asked to leave) prior to working independently. We are hopeful that this information can be used to directly inform prevention, training, and hiring practices. Participation is confidential and anonymous. Participant responses can only be accessed by Dr. Lilly at NIU and are not shared with anyone. We will continue recruiting trainees over the next 6-12 months. Anyone interested in participating can email our lab at tmhrlab@niu.edu or check us out at our Web site.
Study 2: Experienced Telecommunicators
We are looking for telecommunicators with at least one year of experience. They do not need to be currently working as a TC and may have either retired or left the job. Participants complete a 1.5 to 2 hour online survey that can be completed in multiple sittings. Those who complete the survey will be entered for a chance to win one of two $100 cash prizes. We are also doing 30-45 minute follow up surveys at 6 months and 12 months after the initial survey. There is also a drawing for one of two $100 cash prizes for completing each of the follow up surveys. Our goal is to get an accurate picture of the extent of health-related problems in experienced TCs and what factors predict health problems and job satisfaction. Participation is confidential and anonymous. Participant responses can only be accessed by Dr. Lilly at NIU and are not shared with anyone. We will continue recruiting trainees over the next 6-12 months. Anyone interested in participating can email our lab at tmhrlab@niu.edu or check us out at our Web site.
1 comment… add one
I have over 20 years experience with a medium sized agency, we have approx 44 people in our communications center.
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