JakeEMTP Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 (edited) Volunteers should be just as responsible as paid personnel. Just because we don't get paid doesn't mean our behavior should deviate from professional or the scope of practice. Where I live we volunteers set the bar for our service. We live with the same scenarios and the same work related situation so volunteers should take care of ourselves as well, probably more because we are damaging our health for free. I think that was Mikes point. As a volunteer, you don't have to respond to every call, where a paid crew does. If you're tired, don't go on the call. If you're paid and on shift, you should be rested and able to answer the calls w/o being exhausted and a possible hazard. Edited August 13, 2011 by JakeEMTP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paramedicmike Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Volunteers should be just as responsible as paid personnel. Just because we don't get paid doesn't mean our behavior should deviate from professional or the scope of practice. Where I live we volunteers set the bar for our service. We live with the same scenarios and the same work related situation so volunteers should take care of ourselves as well, probably more because we are damaging our health for free. That's exactly my point. I'm not sure where or why you seem to disagree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FireMedicChick164 Posted August 13, 2011 Author Share Posted August 13, 2011 Thanks to all the replies confirming that I am indeed not crazy. I thought briefly that I was losing my mind. After my stupidly long shift I slept for 16 hours and feel normal again. Survived the rest of the week without incident. Back to my normal night shifts next week...lord knows I am not going through that again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DFIB Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 That's exactly my point. I'm not sure where or why you seem to disagree. I guess I misunderstood. I thought you were letting volunteers off the hook. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShockDoctor Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 It hasn't happened to me personally, but I've heard a few stories about it happening to other people. EMS doesn't have crazy shifts in my county, so sleep usually isn't a problem. We have 8, 10, and 12 hour shifts, and a minimum of two days off a week. I don't work on a fire rig, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FireMedicChick164 Posted August 16, 2011 Author Share Posted August 16, 2011 I am a volunteer and we strive to be professional and instill confidence in our patients and co workers. Our Chief's office holds us to very high standards and expects nothing but the best from us. I am an officer and won't take any bs from my crews. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vorenus Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 Years ago I had to meet a deadline and knew I could only meet it by not sleeping, I investigated that astronaughts when in space sleep 20 min every 4 hours. They could do this indefinitely. I tried it for four days and it worked pretty good for me. At the end I was tired but only slept my normal 6 hrs once I got home. That`s called power sleeping. The point is, to train your body to fall into deep sleep instantly after closing your eyes and dozing off, instead of "wasting" time with lighter sleep. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FireMedicChick164 Posted August 22, 2011 Author Share Posted August 22, 2011 That`s called power sleeping. The point is, to train your body to fall into deep sleep instantly after closing your eyes and dozing off, instead of "wasting" time with lighter sleep. I wish I could do that! I sometimes will lay in bed for an hour or more before I fall asleep! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard B the EMT Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 1) Going to bed doesn't equate going to sleep. 2) I have heard of some people taking certain prescribed meds, as per Medical order, who end up being sleep walkers. One ended up having driven her car over 40 miles before crashing into a local home's wall near me, the other, drove only a few blocks before crashing. Some of these "sleep aids" have disclamors in their broadcast ads. 3) If you find yourself with lost time periods, wether or not they are sleep deprevation related, time to get seen by your primary care physician. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vorenus Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 I wish I could do that! I sometimes will lay in bed for an hour or more before I fall asleep! I had/have issues with sleeping sometimes, too. Take a look at autogenous training, it helped me. It`s a great thing, not only for sleeping disorders, but a bunch of other issues. `Course you gotta do it on a regular, if not daily basis, for it to be effective. @DFIB: Hilarious story... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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