[Catalyst 2017]

The stress in the everyday job of an EMT
creates a poor environment for mental health.
With unpredictable and
variable schedules, EMTs lack
sufficient sleep.
EMTs experience weight gain due to a
poor diet, which is a consequence of
the lack of sufficient sleep and of the
fast paced nature of their job.
WHILE MANY GO INTO THE HEALTHCARE FIELD TO HELP OTHERS,
EXHAUSTION AND DESENSITIZATION CREATE A SORT OF CYNICISM IN ORDER
TO DEFEND AGAINST THE ENORMOUS EMOTIONAL BURDEN THAT COMES
WITH TREATING PATIENTS DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
to more errors being made in the field.
First year physicians, who similarly can
work over 24 hour shifts, are subject to an
increased risk of automobile crashes and
percutaneous (skin) injuries when sleep
deprived. 5
These injuries often happen when leaving
a shift. A typical EMT shift lasts from
one morning to the next, and the EMT
will leave his or her shift during rush
hour on little to no sleep, increasing the
dangerous possibility of falling asleep or
dozing at the wheel. A similar study to the
one on first year physicians mentioned
prior studied extended duration work
at critical-care units, and found that long
shifts increased the risk of medical errors
and lapses in attention. 6 In addition to the
more direct mental health problems posed
by the continuous strain, EMTs and others
in the healthcare field also face more
personal issues, including burnout and
changes in behavior. A study on pediatric
residents, who face similar amounts of
stress and workloads, established that
20% of participants were suffering from
depression, and 75% met the criteria for
burnout, both of which led to medical
errors made during work. 7 A separate
study found that emergency physicians
suffering from burnout also faced high
emotional exhaustion, depersonalization,
and a low sense of accomplishment. 8 While
many go into the healthcare field to help
others, exhaustion and desensitization
create a sort of cynicism in order to defend
against the enormous emotional burden
that comes with treating patients day in
and day out.
Sleep deprivation, long work duration,
and the stress that comes with the job
contribute to a poor environment for the
physical and mental health of emergency
medical technicians and other healthcare
providers. However, a recent study has
shown that downtime, especially after
dealing with critical patients, led to lower
rates of depression and acute stress in
EMTs. 9 While this does not necessarily
ameliorate post-traumatic stress or
burnout, it is a start to addressing the
situation. Other possible interventions
would include providing more balanced
meals at hospitals that are readily available
to EMTs, as well as an improved scheduling
system that prevents or limits back to back
shifts. These concepts can apply to others
facing high workloads with abnormal
sleeping schedules as well, including
college students, who are also at risk for
mood disorders and a poorer quality of life
due to the rigors of college life. 10
WORKS CITED
[1] Pirrallo, R. G. et al. International Journal of the
Science and Practice of Sleep Medicine.
2012, 16, 149-162.
[2] Banks, S. et al. J. Clin. Sleep Med. 2007, 3(5),
519-528.
[3] Watanabe, M. et al. Sleep 2010, 33(2), 161-167.
[4] Van Dongen, H. P. et al. Sleep 2004, 27(4), 117-
126.
[5] Najib, T. A. et al. JAMA 2006, 296(9), 1055-1062.
[6] Barger, L. K. et al. PLoS Med. [Online] 2006, 3(12),
e487.
https://dx.doi.org/10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.0030487
(accessed Oct. 3, 2016)
[7] Fahrenkopf, A. M. et al. BMJ [Online] 2008, 336,
488.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.39469.763218.BE
(accessed Oct. 3, 2016)
[8] Ben-Itzhak, S. et al. Clin. Exp. Emerg. Med. 2015,
2(4), 217-225.
[9] Halpern, J. et al. Biomed. Res. Int. [Online] 2014,
2014.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/483140 (accessed
Oct. 3, 2016)
[10] Singh, R. et al. J. Clin. Diagn. Res. [Online] 2016,
10(5), JC01-JC05.
https://dx.doi.org/10.7860%
d2FJCDR%2F2016%2F19140.7878 (accessed Oct 3,
2016)
Image from sapann-design via freepik.com
DESIGN BY Priscilla Li
EDITED BY Ashley Gentles
CATALYST | 23