Jump to content

No Sleep 24's


Recommended Posts

We work 24 hr shifts & have an average of about 15-18 calls per truck, the problem is our call lengths are > 30 minutes due to rural area. We allow the crew to "nap" as much as possible.

Sleep deprivation studies have prove to be as fatal as intoxicated drivers.

I highly suggest it may be time to contact OSHA, Federal Wage & Labor Board for possible insight.

Be safe,

Ridryder 911

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 49
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Further mention here, that FDNY EMS has you "married" to your tour. You work a 16-0000 tour, they won't usually switch you without about 14 days notice, normal circumstances. Also, you work 5 days, off 2, work another 5 days, off 3. That way, nobody complains they never get off on a Tuesday so they can't go to a Broadway show, or how a fellow crew-person always seems to get weekends off. Whatever day of the week, you work it for 10 weeks, then are off on that day for 5 consecutive weeks.

As I'm typing here, London, England, which was announced yesterday to be hosting the 2012 Olympics, had a Terrorist explosives attack on their transit system. These are not "normal", obviously. If this occurred in NYC, the normal 8 hour tours, at minimum, would be extended by 6 hours, and probably the full "double" of 16 hours, with emergency 12 hour tours being instituted in short order.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok, let me put another "spin" on this one... I understand sleep issues with 24 hour shifts... and I agree, that if you have downtime and all of your assigned duties done, that you should be allowed to nap if you are on a 24 hour shift...

BUT...

How about those who work 8 or 12 hour shifts in a slow service, and feel as though they have a "right" to sleep? I work 10-12 hours many times in my job (not working on the ambulance, but related) and I don't get to put my head down and sleep or nap.... So, I sort of have an issue with those "shorter shift" folks complaining about running a call because it cuts into their "nap time".... Ok, sell me on why naps during short shifts is a good idea....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I work a 10 hour shift, either 500-1500 or 1500-100. Either shift I work I don't get much sleep. I have 3 kids at home,and a husband that does like to spend time with me. I get an hour supper break if I am working evenings and a hour lunch if working days. Would you want a nap if you worked til one am, and then got home, may or may not have went straight to bed, then you have a call in the night, yes we are also on mandatory call time from 1a-5a, then you have to be up with kids at 7 or 8 am. Working the day shift, I am not in bed any sooner than 10 or 11pm. Getting up at 430 to go to work. Might get 5 or so hours of sleep if I am lucky and don't have any calls. That is why I personally take a nap sometimes on my 10 hour shift.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Where I work it's not that bad...we do 24 hours shifts starting @ 1700. we can sleep anytime we want so long as we are at base for base duties/unit check by 10am or noon on weekends/holidays. If we go out after midnight on a weekday its also noon instead of 10am. if you are running all night then dispatch will try and help you out some by getting other units to do standby at halfway points so you can get at least a few hours rest. (doesn't always work but it's nice that they try and accommodate us considering we do 6 days of 24's)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
You may check the labor laws in your state. Some states don't allow an employer to require employees to be awake all day if you do not have a "reasonable opportunity" to sleep at least 8 hours during the 24. As for me, when I am up for 48 or 72 hours straight just sleep an entire day when I am off work.

What section would I look under?

I don't even know where to begin to look in the labor regs.

Or should I check OSHA regs? What ones? National law?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I do believe there needs to be a special mandate for EMS workers that are working these 24, 48, 72 hour shifts. Like Rid said, sleep deprivation is just as bad as intoxication.

We are an on-call service the same as Angel so sleep is not a problem. The service just to the north of me works 48 on 96 off. during that 48 as long as thier station duties are completed they can nap whenever they like.

I am unsure of the labour laws in the US, but I know that there are more and more services that are changing here to a shorter schedule per some of the studies that are circulating around the sleep deprivation issue ( and union contracts).

I also have to deal with 4 kids at home. If we ahve a busy night at the end of a tour, i don't have the luxury of sleeping either. I have to tough it ut until it is bed time and then cherish that nights sleep. It was a decision that I made after researching the profession before i entered it.

You could also look at a babysitter for at least the morning after your shift. A little nap is better than nothing and would get you through the day if you could afford to go that route.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok, let me put another "spin" on this one... I understand sleep issues with 24 hour shifts... and I agree, that if you have downtime and all of your assigned duties done, that you should be allowed to nap if you are on a 24 hour shift...

BUT...

How about those who work 8 or 12 hour shifts in a slow service, and feel as though they have a "right" to sleep? I work 10-12 hours many times in my job (not working on the ambulance, but related) and I don't get to put my head down and sleep or nap.... So, I sort of have an issue with those "shorter shift" folks complaining about running a call because it cuts into their "nap time".... Ok, sell me on why naps during short shifts is a good idea....

I may only be AT work for 8-12 hours, but I'm on call 24. If all station and sqaud duties are done we are allowed to sleep. Juse b/c I get paged out at 0330 doesn't mean I'm going to be allowed to be late or miss work the next day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Labor laws prevent medical residents from working more than 80 hours per 7 day week, and, I believe have also capped the length of time they are "on" at 36 hours before they need to go home and rest for at least 8 or 12 hours.

EMTs and other healthcare workers are every bit as important as medical residents when it comes to preventing fatigue.

Tired people=people that make mistakes and harm patients. "Back in the old days we did it this way" is no excuse to make you do it this way now, especially when we know the harm that being tired can cause.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with you pharmd_emt, however; FWLB does not think EMS is the same calliber. They allow EMS to be exempt on several things and have special section for EMS. I so wish they recognized us as more profession to have the same current regulations.

Be safe,

RIdryder 911

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This thread is quite old. Please consider starting a new thread rather than reviving this one.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...