That's the first time I've seen anyone mention anticipatory stress. It is absolutely real and can present long-term as an enhanced startle reflex.
Longest shift, mood on shift and stress
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CALEMT
The Other Guy/ Paramaybe?
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Funny that you bring up the topic because the department that I work for is short staffed any given day there's about 100 people forced on duty. Now what does this have to do with anything? You can drop any call right now: fire, medical aid, TC, peds arrest, and the anticipation/ anxiety will be there up until I'm on scene doing it and then it goes away. But the absolute worst anxiety is whenever the phone rings (thats how we're notified that we're forced, battalion chief or battalion scheduler will call us). And this is coming from someone whose almost died in a flashover.
Kevinf
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I'm glad you guys have brought this up! There is SOME perception that station time / down time is easy, but honestly that part of my time as a 911 provider was the most stressful... the wait for the unknown. The adrenaline spike when the pager buzzes and you know the tones are about to drop can be killer and is absolutely a big contributor to the mental stress of this job. After the tones finally drop and you get on scene a lot of the anxiety about what comes next just evaporates. The call may be stressful in its own way, but you actually have a good sense of what's going on and what is likely to happen next so that baseline anxiety isn't there anymore. Staying busy without being overloaded is ideal... constantly switching from a low-intensity waiting mode to a high-intensity call mode is definitely not for everyone (or maybe anyone!).
worrying about losing my job is the most stressful. If I see death and morbidity it affects me, if I receive blame it affects me more and if someone blames me and threatens my career I go into chest pain and nausea and I can't sleep. I get a lot of stress from just not sleeping and hard work just turns into frustration and stress especially when you struggle financially.
I feel like my brain and my ability to focus has been impacted by long term sleep depravation and periods of high stress. I can not study and learn like I used too, I don't know if I will ever get that back.
I can not cope with stress as well as I used too. Smaller things trigger a stress response now days.
I feel like my brain and my ability to focus has been impacted by long term sleep depravation and periods of high stress. I can not study and learn like I used too, I don't know if I will ever get that back.
I can not cope with stress as well as I used too. Smaller things trigger a stress response now days.
DrParasite
The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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Here is the thing... you volunteered to do this because you're trying to buy a home. it affects you negatively. want to fix it? stop doing what causes you so much stress.
I'm sorry, but you brought this all on yourself, so my sympathy is pretty low. You know this is a problem, yet you CHOSE to do it anyway. I understand why, but it causes you issues.
I don't know what your financial situation is, but you probably need help. Assuming you are working a ton of OT to make a downpayment, will you be able to cover the monthly mortgage payments without any OT? How are you going to be able to handle your expenses in the future without the extra $$$ from 10 days straight?
I don't want to see your financial struggles or stress increase, so I am going to give you this advice: Go to your bank/credit union, and ask to speak to a financial planner. It's usually a free or cheap service. Make sure you are making the right financial move by purchasing a house, because you don't want to spend the rest of your life working 10 straight days.
Summit
Critical Crazy
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At best that is a poor choice of words.
CALEMT
The Other Guy/ Paramaybe?
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I must be different because I don't have downtime stress or anxiety. If the tones go off then they go off. I get paid to do this. There is some slight anticipation and/or anxiety while en route to the call. What's on fire? How many cars are crashed? How many patients? Wait, the pt is 5 years old, what are the correct protocols and dosages? For me that all goes away once I'm on scene doing things, thats the training.
Only time I get anxiety for calls is when I'm in the shower or on the toilet (this is satire of course).
But when that damn phone rings...
You don't know my financial situation. We are supporting elderly family members also. My wife is pregnant and our neighborhood has seen a rise in homelessness. I am not trying to get rich, I just want security for my family, as a father thats my job and sometimes I make sacrifices. I have already spoken with a professional financial advisor that provides my retirement plan. I do not plan to have my lifestyle exceed my base income but some of that is beyond my control.
If I continue to live in Cracktown I would not need to do any overtime
I can relate.
That sounds like a huge load to carry around. How long have you felt that way?
June and July in the peak of COVID my stress hit an all time high
Makes sense. Was it both work-related and personal?
DrParasite
The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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maybe so, but the truth hurts, especially when he brought all this upon himself.
Good for you on supporting your elderly family members, and good luck with the wife's pregnancy. I truly wish you all the best.
Here is the thing... Your wife is going to need you to be around, esp the closer she gets to delivery. And you aren't going to be able to work 10 days straight with a newborn unless you are looking forward to a divorce and a very pissed-off ex-wife. I don't think you want that, nor do I think you want to join your neighborhood homeless community if she kicks you out.
Well, that's good, because few people get rich in this field.
Yeah, we fathers do that. But you're seeing the consequences to your "sacrifices" and it's getting to you. Let me quote YOUR words:
This is a problem, and I bet it's affecting your home life too. I bet your wife notices it (I know mine did). It can cause additional stressors
You say you have spoken to "a professional financial advisor that provides my retirement plan" which is great... except you are nowhere close to retiring; you need to evaluate your financial situation NOW. Have you discussed your current financial situation? Many in EMS have made the mistake of living beyond their means, end up addicted to OT due to their expenses, and kids are ridiculously expensive. And despite what you seem to think, your lifestyle, and your expenses are completely within your control.
Have you been pre-approved for a mortgage? Do you know how much money you will need for a downpayment? Do you know how much your monthly mortgage will be, at certain housing costs? I'm hoping the answer is yes.
Well, I'm not sure why you moved to Cracktown, but props to you for identifying what you want to move somewhere better. Likely one with better schools too.
Listen, I understand what you are doing. I also understand why, and I commend you for making the sacrifices for your family. But you need to understand that 1) you are not the first person to go through this 2) the sacrifices you are making are having negative consequences, consequences that are not easy to overcome, and 3) it will get worse, esp when your wife delivers that little poop machine. Ask any parent and they will tell you that kids are expensive. Diapers, formula, clothes, toys, they all have a price tag, and that doesn't include any medical bills. Will 10 days straight of OT away from your family be the solution? Will it be worth it?
You can call me a horrible person if you want (I'm sure many already do), but this is a stressful career, and what your doing to yourself isn't helping YOUR situation. It's helping you financially, but at what cost? You are super stressed, and many of the things you are doing is only increasing your stress levels. And there is no easy answer, except to reduce the things that are causing the stress. I'm not telling you to quit EMS, but rather you need to find a productive way to manage all the stress before it consumes you.
I've said my piece, you can listen or not, and you can get all defensive because I don't know your particular situation. but if you think you are the first person to go through this, you are sorely mistaken. Good luck with the growing family.
10 Warning Signs of Ambulance Induced Divorce Syndrome (AIDS) - EMS Flight Safety Network
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I dont need your marital advice buddy.maybe so, but the truth hurts, especially when he brought all this upon himself.
Good for you on supporting your elderly family members, and good luck with the wife's pregnancy. I truly wish you all the best.
Here is the thing... Your wife is going to need you to be around, esp the closer she gets to delivery. And you aren't going to be able to work 10 days straight with a newborn unless you are looking forward to a divorce and a very pissed-off ex-wife. I don't think you want that, nor do I think you want to join your neighborhood homeless community if she kicks you out.
Well, that's good, because few people get rich in this field.
Yeah, we fathers do that. But you're seeing the consequences to your "sacrifices" and it's getting to you. Let me quote YOUR words:
This is a problem, and I bet it's affecting your home life too. I bet your wife notices it (I know mine did). It can cause additional stressors
You say you have spoken to "a professional financial advisor that provides my retirement plan" which is great... except you are nowhere close to retiring; you need to evaluate your financial situation NOW. Have you discussed your current financial situation? Many in EMS have made the mistake of living beyond their means, end up addicted to OT due to their expenses, and kids are ridiculously expensive. And despite what you seem to think, your lifestyle, and your expenses are completely within your control.
Have you been pre-approved for a mortgage? Do you know how much money you will need for a downpayment? Do you know how much your monthly mortgage will be, at certain housing costs? I'm hoping the answer is yes.
Well, I'm not sure why you moved to Cracktown, but props to you for identifying what you want to move somewhere better. Likely one with better schools too.
Listen, I understand what you are doing. I also understand why, and I commend you for making the sacrifices for your family. But you need to understand that 1) you are not the first person to go through this 2) the sacrifices you are making are having negative consequences, consequences that are not easy to overcome, and 3) it will get worse, esp when your wife delivers that little poop machine. Ask any parent and they will tell you that kids are expensive. Diapers, formula, clothes, toys, they all have a price tag, and that doesn't include any medical bills. Will 10 days straight of OT away from your family be the solution? Will it be worth it?
You can call me a horrible person if you want (I'm sure many already do), but this is a stressful career, and what your doing to yourself isn't helping YOUR situation. It's helping you financially, but at what cost? You are super stressed, and many of the things you are doing is only increasing your stress levels. And there is no easy answer, except to reduce the things that are causing the stress. I'm not telling you to quit EMS, but rather you need to find a productive way to manage all the stress before it consumes you.
I've said my piece, you can listen or not, and you can get all defensive because I don't know your particular situation. but if you think you are the first person to go through this, you are sorely mistaken. Good luck with the growing family.
10 Warning Signs of Ambulance Induced Divorce Syndrome (AIDS) - EMS Flight Safety Network
EMS Flight Safety Network is the people who keep air medical safe. We teach proven systems to become flight crew. Doctors, Nurses, Paramedics, EMTs, RTs and pilots learn to fly with us.
We do 48s every week. at another 24 or 48 in OT, hopefully straight. But we are slow. I had 3 patient transports last YEAR.
I did 200 hours straight at my PT job last month, but it was relatively slow also. I had 10 refusals/cancels and 5 transports; of course the closest hospital is 110 miles and Level I is 135 miles.
I did 200 hours straight at my PT job last month, but it was relatively slow also. I had 10 refusals/cancels and 5 transports; of course the closest hospital is 110 miles and Level I is 135 miles.
You were on duty for 8+ days straight? And that's part time?
Martyn
Forum Asst. Chief
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84 hours straight on duty for hurricane Irma. Saturday 06:30 to approx. 16:30 the following Tuesday, Irma hit Sunday late afternoon.
mgr22; yea PT job, Pick up shifts when we want. I had Use or Lose leave to burn at my FT job. (we work 48 hours on and 5 days off, {and we can trade shifts in the same pay week, so I can work Sunday Monday one week, and Friday Saturday the next week; which gives me 10 days off without taking leave) so why do I need to take leave? My wife works Mon-Thurs 10 hour days, and doesn't get much leave.
I worked the 8 days in March, probably won't work in April; worked a 72 in February.
We have people that just work special events a few times a year; at $30 an hour, paid cash at the end of the day.
I worked the 8 days in March, probably won't work in April; worked a 72 in February.
We have people that just work special events a few times a year; at $30 an hour, paid cash at the end of the day.
Did you go home at all during those 8 days in March?
No, PT job is 120 miles away from home (1 way) for me. we have a 3 bedroom 2 bathroom mobile home to stay in; and have 6 minutes to mark en route. So if you live in town you can go home. But you can get from anywhere in either town (same town, straddles state line), to station in less than 6 minutes; and if the run is close to where you are, we usually call and say we will meet on scene..
The coverage area from station is 40 miles west, 60 miles east (59 miles in another state), 40 miles north to state line (and sometimes we cross that line), and approx 55 to 60 miles South, depending where we are going: roughly 8,500 square miles.
The worst part of the response area is the Reservation, which is 45 miles (30 of which is gravel, and all of the reservation is gravel) SW into the state to the East to the center of the Reservation; which is where all the directions start at: only 2 addresses in the Reservation work on GPS (School and Reservation Community Building, which are 200 feet from each other); I have had directions from dispatch which has 49 turns from the school and crossed the state line 5 times. If you transport from the reservation, we have to go back to our town, get fuel and then drive to the hospital.
I work there because it is relatively busy: and all transports are 110-135 miles from town. Average round trip is 5 hours which just makes life interesting, esp. when the patient is critical and you can't get a helicopter
My full time job is S L O W. 3 Patient transports in 2021. in the entire year
The coverage area from station is 40 miles west, 60 miles east (59 miles in another state), 40 miles north to state line (and sometimes we cross that line), and approx 55 to 60 miles South, depending where we are going: roughly 8,500 square miles.
The worst part of the response area is the Reservation, which is 45 miles (30 of which is gravel, and all of the reservation is gravel) SW into the state to the East to the center of the Reservation; which is where all the directions start at: only 2 addresses in the Reservation work on GPS (School and Reservation Community Building, which are 200 feet from each other); I have had directions from dispatch which has 49 turns from the school and crossed the state line 5 times. If you transport from the reservation, we have to go back to our town, get fuel and then drive to the hospital.
I work there because it is relatively busy: and all transports are 110-135 miles from town. Average round trip is 5 hours which just makes life interesting, esp. when the patient is critical and you can't get a helicopter
My full time job is S L O W. 3 Patient transports in 2021. in the entire year