A 72 Hour Shift

[MedicTom]

I'm with a small, rural EMS agency that tries to provide at least 24/7 ALS coverage. (Relying on a volunteer driver to come out from 1600-0800 Mon-Fri, and on the weekends.)

I'm taking a week long vacation in 3wks. The new ALS hire apparently needs his extra 24 hour shift off as well. That leaves 72 hours the agency needed to find coverage for as the ALS works 24 hour shifts. 48 hours are being covered by 2 BLS techs. I was shocked to look on the schedule and find that while I'm on vacation the new ALS hire (he's been a paramedic for 2 yrs) is covering one of my shifts which causes him to work a straight 72 hour shift. This shift starts 10 hours after getting done working a 48 hour work week in 3 days at his other full time EMS job.

I don't know if no one else was available during that time or not, but isn't that a HUGE liability? I would think asking a few of the volunteer EMT's to step up during this time, or leaving the schedule blank would be better than having someone working a straight 72 hour shift, let alone someone just coming off a 48 hour work week. I'm not an administrator so I don't make the decisions, but I'd just like to read others input.

 

[Sasha]

What's your call volume?

 

[reaper]

If you only run 2-3 calls in a 24 hour period, then it is not a problem. Any more, then you have a problem.

 

[medicdan]

As long as call volume is appropriately low, and there are facilities condusive to sleep, and downtime, I dont see a problem with it. In fact, I am on a 72 hour shift right now, with a low call volume college BLS service.

 

[Hockey]

Just bring something to keep yourself entertained.

Its all good and wish I could do a 72 sometimes (as long as I'm a nice station)

 

[MedicTom]

We do have a low call volume 700-800 a year, but each call also takes approx 3 hours to complete (with PCR writing & restocking time) as we're 20+ miles away from the closest hospital. It's easily 5 hours if we have to transport to a trauma center as the closest one is over 90 minutes away. The facilities however are lacking, there is no real kitchen facility or laundry facility (only decon laundry) There is a bed.

The other agency the medic works for answers 10,000-15,000 calls a year or more. Especially on a 16 hour shift he could have 5 or 10 runs with the other agency.

My concern comes from him telling me earlier this week that he's exhausted, feeling run down b/c last week he worked 96 hours over 7 days with "several bad calls" between the 2 places and and this week he's working 84 hours in 7 days between the 2. He told someone else he's having a hard time coping with a fatal accident he was on with our agency last weekend. The week in question he will be working 120 hours in 6 days time between the 2 places.

 

[Sasha]

Since you are not in a position to make change, you can either forget about it and go on your vacation, or forget about your vacation and stay and work. You'd rather leave it blank? So instead of sleepy coverage you perfer NO coverage? This is assuming your service only has one ambulance with only one crew at a time.

700-800 calls is 2-3 calls a shift. If each takes three hours, that's 6-9 hours, leaving 18-15 hours for sleeping and/or lounging around. Average. Yes, I understand some days have more calls than others but I doubt that you'll have 7 calls a day three days in a row if you average 2-3 calls a day.

You could always tell him to write reports faster.

Three uniforms, a hose and some V05, some sponge bob fruit snacks and a blanky and he should be good to go.

 

[reaper]

Man can not live on sponge bob snacks alone! He must have Dew too!

 

[Sasha]

Man can not live on sponge bob snacks alone! He must have Dew too!

So throw in some mountain dew and cheese doodles.

 

[reaper]

Cheetos only, no cheapo imitations!

 

[SemiMedic]

You can't forget the Easy-Mac, that's for sure.

 

[Mountain Res-Q]

Fruit Snacks? Cheetos? Cheese Doodles? Mountain Dew? Mac and Chesse?

When did EMS go soft? Grab a couple Monsters and a jumbo jar of Beef Jerky and you are good to go for a 96 hour shift! ^_^

Need to wash up? Grab some wet naps from the hospital.

Need a change of clothes? Turn everything inside out and you are good to go for another 72.

Need to sleep? You got the gurney in the back.

Can't sleep? Have the EMT read you a story. Or is that not in the scope?

 

[Buzz]

Fruit Snacks? Cheetos? Cheese Doodles? Mountain Dew? Mac and Chesse?

When did EMS go soft? Grab a couple Monsters and a jumbo jar of Beef Jerky and you are good to go for a 96 hour shift! ^_^

Need to wash up? Grab some wet naps from the hospital.

Need a change of clothes? Turn everything inside out and you are good to go for another 72.

Need to sleep? You got the gurney in the back.

Can't sleep? Have the EMT read you a story. Or is that not in the scope?

This man thinks like me.
I'll leave the Monster though... Got coffee for the caffeine, and I'm more likely to drink water or fruit juice for refreshment.

 

[Sasha]

Need to wash up? Grab some wet naps from the hospital.

Or hop into their decon shower.

 

[lightsandsirens5]

This man thinks like me.
I'll leave the Monster though... Got coffee for the caffeine, and I'm more likely to drink water or fruit juice for refreshment.

I agree. Monster=blech!!! Give me some coffee!

With only 2-3 calls a shift, he has no problem. I've done 72s before, It is great. I'd study all morning, then watch movies in the afternoon. (When we weren't out.) I made it thru a whole bunch: Backdraft, The Patriot, Killer Angels, Casino Royal, Apolo 13, etc. So don't worry cause #1 he is going to be fine and #2 You can't do anything about it anyhow. (Unless you stay home)

 

[DV_EMT]

Fruit Snacks? Cheetos? Cheese Doodles? Mountain Dew? Mac and Chesse?

When did EMS go soft? Grab a couple Monsters and a jumbo jar of Beef Jerky and you are good to go for a 96 hour shift! ^_^

Need to wash up? Grab some wet naps from the hospital.

Need a change of clothes? Turn everything inside out and you are good to go for another 72.

Need to sleep? You got the gurney in the back.

Can't sleep? Have the EMT read you a story. Or is that not in the scope?

well.. change monster to AMP and you got a deal

though i find that a sink does a better job than a wet nap...

 

[marineman]

everyone talking about these expensive drinks on an EMS budget you're nuts. Take coffee grounds, put them in your lip like chewing tobacco and you won't sleep for 72 hours I promise.

 

[lightsandsirens5]

everyone talking about these expensive drinks on an EMS budget you're nuts. Take coffee grounds, put them in your lip like chewing tobacco and you won't sleep for 72 hours I promise.

Oh man! That just made everyone in the crew quarters laugh!

 

[VFFforpeople]

Fruit Snacks? Cheetos? Cheese Doodles? Mountain Dew? Mac and Chesse?

When did EMS go soft? Grab a couple Monsters and a jumbo jar of Beef Jerky and you are good to go for a 96 hour shift! ^_^

Need to wash up? Grab some wet naps from the hospital.

Need a change of clothes? Turn everything inside out and you are good to go for another 72.

Need to sleep? You got the gurney in the back.

Can't sleep? Have the EMT read you a story. Or is that not in the scope?

Best advice ever right there, our engine has a portable coleman stove for the fire grounds. If I don't have my coffee, I will watch your house burn, the forest get torched, or you splint you own broken arm lol. especially coming off 84hours on a fire line, to hit the station shower and BAM medical...then eat then BAM! back to the line lol...I miss it..almost time again.

 

[HotelCo]

A laptop and some good movies. You're good to go.

OH, and don't forget a good pillow.