Burnout generally occurs because there is too much overtime, long shifts, and insufficient equipment professionals have to work with daily. For the EMS professional, these issues are a bleak reality. There’s often not enough funding to provide better working environments or to employ more personnel to combat the workload.

A popular cliché states that the best defense is a great offense. Therefore, EMS professionals must seek ways to protect themselves against burnout. They can do this by:

1. Taking Some Time Off to Recover

We all need to stay away from our routine from time to time to gain back the energy and passion to do the job right. Don’t get caught up in the job. Take time off and go on a vacation or a weekend trip to recover from the overwhelming stress. When you return to your job, you will be refreshed and energized to accommodate the pressures faced in the workplace.

2. Getting Appropriate Equipment

Pulling an old or broken EMS stretcher through the emergency clinic is a nightmare. Get equipment that works and keep talking to your supervisor about the equipment until it’s fixed.

3. Eat Healthy Meals

Your diet also impacts your stress levels and performance. A balanced, healthy diet will always ensure that you have appropriate energy levels to meet the demands of your job. Plan your meals well ahead of time. Having a meal plan ensures you won’t be caught eating whatever is in front of you when you feel hunger moving in.

4. Get Adequate Sleep

Besides taking time off, you need to get all of the rest you need, regularly. Your job might demand late nights, but make sure whatever sleep you get is of the highest quality. Pay attention to your sleep schedule. Avoid taking your cellphone to bed or watching the television before turning in for the night (or day if you work night shifts). All of these activities can affect your sleep patterns.

5. Do Exercise and Other Stress Reduction Activities

Exercise is also useful. It can help you get rid of the stress and improve your ability to accommodate the pressure. You can also try activities like meditation, yoga, or massage. These practices are targeted at reducing stress and can help manage burnout when you start to feel it.

Bear in mind that burnout is different for everyone. There is no standard diagnostic tool, so you need to look out for signs on your own. It never happens instantly, but builds up over time. Therefore, you need to implement identification and preventive techniques that will help you prevent burnout. Coast BioMedical offers repair services for any equipment that isn’t performing to its full potential. Contact us if your organization has an EMS stretcher, or other EMS equipment, in need of repairs or routine maintenance.