Tiredmedic
Back when I was a paramedic, we worked 24 hrs on/ 48 off. Every two weeks, each man took standby. Well, I got tapped to work a double. No sleep the first day, no sleep entire second day. Supposed to be relieved at 08:45 am on the third. The closest unit to the call must respond. I got stuck on that unit and was not relieved until 61 hours had passed. I had supervisors chasing me with my relief but it seemed like we were playing leapfrog. Every time I got zapped with another call, they tried to meet me at that hospital but either I got their first and got harpooned again or once they had to provide backup for a code.
I remember my entire body felt like I had bathed in rubbing alcohol--all my nerve endings were lit up. I finally got an ER doc to declare me unfit for duty and fought off one last call. My relief had to scoop me up off an ER stretcher while sleeping onto the ambulance cot and transport me back to HQ where they were able to wake me up. I took a 4 hr nap in the dormitory before trying to drive home. I remember on the way home, I would get to a big intersection, swerve out into the opposing traffic, wait for everyone to stop then proceed on. After doing this four or five times, it dawned on the all the funny looks I was getting was because I was in my personal vehicle and not going code 3 in my ambulance! I had to pull over three times to take cat naps just to make it home. The second pit stop I was awakened by a State Trooper who was worried I was dead because he was banging on my roof and I wasn't moving. It took me 4 hrs. to make the 45 minute drive home. I got home at 09:00pm and had to get up at 07:00am the next morning and report to work all over again.
I don't recall hardly any of the calls I responded to that second and third shift except when I reported for duty the next regular shift they told me I had run something like 28 advanced calls during that span meaning I rode with the patient starting IVs, reading EKGs and giving drugs. I worked 3 cardiac arrests, several bad motor vehicle accidents, several bad knife and gun club calls and one or three DOAs. A usual busy shift is a total of 15 calls in a 24hr period with each paramedic running no more than 5-6 advanced calls.
My partner was a basic EMT so I had to ride all the advanced calls. The entire Dept. only ran about 50 advanced calls during that entire span but that was spread out amongst 7 crews that changed after 24 hrs or a total of 28 other guys. FYI, it usually takes about 45 minutes just to do the paperwork on each advanced call and you have to get the MDs signature on your state form even if it means hours later by his relief MD. I also had to check out the substation twice, 3 units, 2 drug kits including writing down all the drug expiration dates, restock all the supplies, fill out card for all the equipment left at all the 5 area hospitals, etc. I would dump the patient in the ER, give a quick report, scoot into the nurses station to steal whatever crackers and cold coffer I could get while my partner grabbed the IV supplies, made up the cot and took another call so off we went. When we would finally make it back to that hospital to complete the paperwork, the patients were either home in bed, upstairs admitted or in the morgue. On the second evening, I had ER docs forcing me to drink Gatorade before they would let me run out the door.
Absolute lunacy. I wrote up the incident describing how dangerous it was. I was spotted by a cop on the second night about 4 am sitting at an intersection with my code 3 lights on. I had been on my way to a call and passed out at the light with my lights on and my foot on the brake. My partner was asleep on the squad bench in the back snoring.
The only saving grace out of this debacle was when I asked our medical control physician to personally review all my run reports for medical errors, her only comment was she could chart my exhaustion by my handwriting. You need to understand how exacting and tough she is--she doesn't pull punches so I think I had some Divine intervention protecting those patients. At least I didn't kill anyone.
I'm retired now from EMS and enjoy power sleeping every night. I rarely set my alarm usually arising around 08:30 when my beagle has to go out. The federal work rules allowed such insane hours but thank goodnes most EMS services are a little more sane than this.
I was never in the service so believe me, my hat is off to you Iraqvet but I was in a few neighborhood war zones. I've taken fire numerous times including bullets penetrating my substation during gun battles across the road and once when carrying a shooting victim out of a bar when the shooter fired right over my right ear into the victim to finish him off.
Still, there is no occupation that get more praise or respect from me than our military. You guys are the best. Thanks for all your sacrifices!
