Re: 24 hours shifts and the hornets nest

[Lisa Heinz <flytrn117@yahoo.com>]

I'm waiting for the day that the airMEDICAL crews fall
under similiar guidelines/restrictions that PILOTS do.

and let me add this personal note to this hornet's
nest:  6 year's ago I was involved in a head-on crash
after driving home from working a night flight shift. 
(Our flight program does not provide crew quarters and
therefore no crew rest periods allowed.  The flight RN
and medic also "staff" the ER from 2300-0700.)  I had
not gone on any flights that night during my shift,
nor was the ER busy.  My number just happened to have
been up I guess.  I had to be flown by my own
program's helicopter to the trauma center.  After 2
1/2 weeks in the hospital, a few surgeries, 3 months
in a wheelchair, and rehab time I was able to return
to work, full time.  I still had to work the majority
of my flight shifts on nights if I wanted to keep my
flight job or I could work days in the ICU, CCU,
medical floor, etc.  My colleagues were kind enough to
trade shifts..... on occasion. My program did not
change its practices in regards to crew rest after
almost losing one of their own members.
All I can say is:
 1. I hope it doesn't happen to anyone else.
 2. Do NOT drive home from work tired.
 3. If you need a "safety nap" during your shift
    (especially on nights)in order to be able to drive
    safely home in the a.m. TAKE ONE!
 4. I'm still working on getting our program's    
perspective on crew rest to change.

Fly safe and drive safe.....

Lisa, RN
--- "Eric Niegelberg [Emergency Medicine]"
<eniegelb@epo.hsc.sunysb.edu> wrote:
> I would stand by my opinion that a person who has
> been working for 
> 15 straight hours, without sleep/rest breaks other
> than a 30 minute 
> meal period is not as sharp or fresh as someone who
> is in the middle 
> of an 8 hour shift.  The fact that some services
> have staff working 
> for this period of time does not take away from the
> fatigue that 
> sets in.  Over the road truck drivers are not
> allowed to drive for 
> this length of time yet ambulance drivers can.  This
> does not seem 
> to be logical.
> 
> It would stand to reason that those services that
> have 24 hour shifts 
> and have a mechanism in place to sleep/rest or have
> on call staff 
> relieve staff that has worked a long stretch of the
> 24 hour period is 
> indicative of the reality that you can't properly
> work, day in and 
> day out, for a 24 hour stretch.  24 hours shifts
> with appropriate 
> rest breaks is probably logical but as I commented
> with my 
> administrative hat on, I would prefer the
> productivity of staff that 
> is being paid to work, not to sleep.
> 
> 
> > From:          "PrimaNoctes209" 
> <primanoctes209@cableone.net>
> > To:            <flightmed@flightweb.com>
> > Subject:       Re: 24 hours shifts and the hornets
> nest
> > Date:          Fri, 18 Jan 2002 11:32:19 -0700
> > Reply-to:      flightmed@flightweb.com
> 
> > Forgive me for saying so BUT, I think it may be a
> bit irresponsible to say that "It is not safe to
> drive an ambulance or provide medical care at the
> 15th hour of a shift."  In some services this may > 
> > Every day and all over America, ground ambulances,
> fire departments and even air ambulances (except
> pilots) are working at the "15 hour" and there is no
> documented increases in crashes, or morbidity/> 
> > As I have stated previously in this forum, as this
> topic arises every 6 months it seems, whether or not
> 24 hour shifts are right for your program depends
> entirely on your program.  Some services are > 
> > Who knows? I could be wrong.
> > 
> > Eric E. Kincaid, CCEMT-P
> > Saint Alphonsus-Life Flight
> > Boise, ID USA
> > 
> > 
>
******************************************************
> Eric Niegelberg                     Tel:
> 631-444-2496
> EMS Director                        Fax:
> 631-689-7376
> Emergency Department Administrator
>
******************************************************
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Flightmed mailing list


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