I have been in EMS for 15 years, 10 as a medic in a very busy city and I have recently realized I am facing serious burnout, I'm not past the breaking point, I feel like I can get better but I'm not sure how. I've spoken to shrinks but that wasn't much help, there's not much in the way of books and approaching co-workers is taboo. Any advise from experianced people would really be appreciated thank you.
EMS and burn out advise please
- Thread starter Medicboyd
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NysEms2117
ex-Parole officer/EMT
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I'm not experienced in ems per say. But just tossing it out there maybe you should try a different style of ems? Maybe a not so urban environment. With not knowing what u potentially do as side/aid work maybe a vacation is due?
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A change of scenery can help a lot. A new challenge to focus on can, too. (start working towards getting into CCT, for instance)
VentMonkey
Family Guy
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@Medicboyd, this. If it's something you are, or ever were interested in, we have a whole HEMS section that's gaining momentum.
I too have been there, and back, as have many I am sure. Even if it's just ground work, critical care offered me new life into the rut I was in picking the same patients up from the same locations day in and day out.
If you're completely done with field work, you can get a degree, work a desk job, be a supervisor, etc.
There's always options out there for you if you look hard enough, but they may take some effort. Best of luck.
FF-EMT Diver
Forum Captain
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I went through it, my boss who was a good friend of mine saw it and told me to take ten shifts off. I did and when I can back from that month I wanted to be back on the truck, burnout is a very real thing and it kills not only you it kills your patients from complacency.
I have just started reading Kevin Hazards "a thousand naked strangers" and it talks some about that but I'm not far in. It does let you see it in a different light.
I have since left working on the truck and am a full time educator now, sometimes just taking a step back will help. Maybe find a new job, different niche, or even an outside hobby.
Take some time for yourself and don't let the job kill you, but don't let yourself kill your patients. This is an awesome career and has been really good to me. I'm grateful for people that helped me get through my burnout.
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I have just started reading Kevin Hazards "a thousand naked strangers" and it talks some about that but I'm not far in. It does let you see it in a different light.
I have since left working on the truck and am a full time educator now, sometimes just taking a step back will help. Maybe find a new job, different niche, or even an outside hobby.
Take some time for yourself and don't let the job kill you, but don't let yourself kill your patients. This is an awesome career and has been really good to me. I'm grateful for people that helped me get through my burnout.
Sent from my XT1565 using Tapatalk
AtlasFlyer
Forum Captain
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What do you do apart from work? I always highly, highly suggest having a hobby or something to do that is completely unrelated to EMS. Take up photography, write a book, learn woodworking, take cooking classes (either in person or via Youtube or something), learn a new language... something that will detach your mind and give you something new to learn/do. That mental separation is essential.
VentMonkey
Family Guy
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Also this. Family, friends, and significant others can all be a great outlet to help detach from work, even if they don't realize it.
Though my wife and I are both in the medical field, our day to day grind keeps us preoccupied enough so that my work doesn't define me. At home we focus on us, our girls, upcoming family events, the girls' schoolwork, etc. I have found this helps me keep my mindset more along the the lines of "I work for my family; my work does not define me".
Sure, I am lucky to enjoy what I do for a living, but it's just an added bonus that what I do also helps put food on the table; that brings me THE MOST joy.
Hobbies are also important. A good long run almost always helps clear my mind. Anything to help alleviate stress or that feeling of "being trapped in a box" is a step in the right direction, IMO.
I was on my way to being a statistical 3-5 year medic. The culture of the service i was at, and working 80+ hour weeks for 4 1/2 years wore me down. I had started applying to flight positions, but in the mean time decided to make a move to a pediatric transport team. Now I work 36 hours a week, make almost twice as much hourly, and am getting great pediatric exposure, flight experience, and getting to shore up on critical care.
For me, having goals and actively working towards them is what keeps me content. Oh, and working less than 40 hours a week helps.
For me, having goals and actively working towards them is what keeps me content. Oh, and working less than 40 hours a week helps.
Thank you! You have given me a lot of really good ideas
I've been working like that for the past 13-14 years and I have gotten used to that level of money, but the CC is a very good idea thank you
VentMonkey
Family Guy
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For me, the advanced provider certs, and CME's needed to function at this level has given me a refreshing sense of what I liked about this career field in the first place.
The CCP course I took reminded me a lot of my paramedic program, though more condensed and in depth. It covered advanced practice topics.
Now, all my CME's in order to keep my FP-C need to be specific to critical care, or I can opt to retake the exam every four years, either way, this forces me to have to learn more, and/ or brush up on topics most paramedics aren't exposed to initially, if at all, in a career.
Plus, the call volume helps, and not having to chart every call helps.