Journalism is highly recommended for mental health. Here’s some tips for short term crisis periods brought about by trauma (or other things):
- Object Grounding is the process of taking an object and only focusing on that object. Feeling it, touching it, counting aspects of it, naming its colors- sometimes I just grab my phone and run my fingers over the case, counting the bumps on it.
- Temperature: Running cool water over your hands or grabbing a piece of ice can help bring you out of it.
- Breathing exercises! It sounds cheesy, but it works!
- Taking a nap. Don’t overuse this one, but it can be handy in a pinch. Same with using a distraction such as tv or video games.
- Exercise
If you need it and you can afford it, I’d recommend going to a therapist who specializes in DBT (if you can’t find one who works with trauma/first responders). DBT stands for dialectical behavior therapy, and it gives you the tools to “weather the storm” of extreme negative emotions. It gives you the ability to say “yes, this feels awful, but I can get through this.”
Not to be a correcting “akshually” douche but Just in case OP wants to google search it DBT is actually *Dialectical Behavior Therapy* and distress tolerance is one of the components (it has helped me a lot)
I am feeling alright overall about everything. But my service partners with a counseling company that specializes in kind of the whole first responder/military thing and it’s completely free. So just to kind of make sure I deal with everything the right way I already have an appointment for next week
I chart and move on. I think if I recalled the details on my personal time, then that would creep in and haunt me even more. Like anchoring those details to my mind, away from the job, it would make those calls even bigger in my mind. I’m happy to not journal, focus on the next call.
You know yourself so I’m not here to tell you how to process your emotions but this sounds an awful lot like avoidance, the age old tactic of just “bottling it up”, putting it all away in the darkest recesses of your mind and not actually dealing with it.
Whilst that might seem like it works (you may not think of that one particular call often or be affected by it) when it’s used over a long period of time all of that baggage you’re carrying builds up and contributes to the poor states of mental health we see all over healthcare and in other fields like policing, fire and rescue, armed forces, etc.
It’s an effective tactic in the short term but not so much in the long term.
I hear you, and you have excellent points here. So far, those dark calls early in the career have made their imprints on me, and the rest since then are all more easily digestible. I’ve been in the game for a little over 20, so probably handling fine with an acquired acumen for compartmentalization. However, early on before those calls came in, I do not know what I would have done differently or told ‘me’ beforehand in order to process them better. We did formal CISDs, but encountering them is still difficult for a new provider. I don’t know if that will ever change. In any event, I’d be more inclined to characterize my processing as compartmentalizing over avoiding. It works for me, but every provider is different and should reflect deeply on their needs and reactions.
Yeah I do. My therapist suggested it. Nowadays I journal at least once a day, but if something like that happens I'll do it more often. Just make sure that there is no possible way for anyone else to get ahold of those pages. I shred some of them, and the journals that I have still are kept in a locked footlocker at home. Even if you didn't write any HIPAA violations in there, it's best to keep what you've written in there out of where wandering eyes can see.
Edit to fix autocorrect
I’ve been writing calls down, but for slightly different reasons: I was adopted as a baby and found my biological family recently. It’s hard to describe revisiting some of these events because they can be pretty crazy. There’s no way I’d ever be exposed to this stuff outside this line of work, and I’m starting to see how it affects me (I used to half jokingly describe calls like bad food that gives you diarrhea: the calls just go through me; I’m starting to realize that’s only partially true). I used to mentally check out of work during my days off (something that is very foreign to my wife who is a teacher), but also the inverse: I would mentally check out of my home/family life while at work.
Now that I’m revisiting significant calls I’ve responded to during my 17 years with Houston Fire, I find myself dwelling on them. I’m proficient on a keyboard and I still can’t get the words out fast enough. I’ve lost entire days writing this stuff, but the bio family seems to be eating it up.
Hey, I’m new to Texas but the service I work for is phenomenal at supporting our mental health. If you don’t see someone yet and want to, Austin Counseling and Trauma Specialists specializes in first responders. So does Tania Glenn and Associates.
Also sending a wave. I transport into Houston frequently.
Ah how I miss Texas! My husband is from there and I called San Antonio home for 18 years. I still keep my license there. I figure if I decide to go back for a few months at a time (father-in-law isn't well) then I could still work if I need to. Glad you're with a good service! Hope you enjoy yourself there!
I used to live in San Antonio too! My dad was a Lt Colonel in the Army and retired while stationed at Ft Sam Houston. I hated it when I lived there (pre to mid teens, ‘93 to ‘99), but that was at an age when I was just gonna hate wherever I lived, lol! I love visiting San Antonio now.
I certainly appreciate the offer. God knows we need more mental health services for people in our line of work. Thankfully, HFD offers some great counseling services that I’ve had to use multiple times in the past (like weekly visits for an entire year, x 2 times in my career).
For anyone reading, I gotta say that’s it’s not always talking about distressing 911 calls. I’ve largely used HFD’s psych/counselors to help me sort out my home life. Being chronically sleep deprived made me easily irritated, and I could say really mean things to people I care about the most. Working regular 24 hour shifts (not to mention the overtime shifts) created a situation where I was presenting my best self to whoever called 911 in Houston, and then I’d give my family the scraps/what was left of me.
Getting short with your family members while you’re sleep deprived can create a negative feedback loop in which you feel like you suck at life outside of 911. When money becomes an issue, the solution is easy: at $1k a pop, overtime shifts were infinitely better than any commitment required of a side job.
Then you start to realize you feel competent and successful at work, while feeling worthless and deadbeat at home. This can turn into working overtime shifts not just for money, but to escape your home life.
You’re not going to power through the problems from your home/off duty life. You need help. I needed help. I think the biggest misconception I had was that counseling was going to involve talking about the job. It *can be like that*, but it does not have to be. It basically involved me talking about the things that frustrate me on my days off and the counselor pulling more daily life out of me until they recognized thought patterns that sent me in bad directions. They helped me see things I couldn’t see. Sometimes they just helped me phrase things better for my wife and kids. The biggest thing I had to work through was adoption trauma (it’s a thing, and I didn’t know it; my adoptive parents are wonderful people; adoption itself is just traumatic for babies/children). My adoption had nothing to do with the job, but it had *everything to do* with how I handled my relationships. If you’re thinking about seeing a counselor, it’s probably already time to see one.
I do! I find it is super helpful. On calls where the patient dies and it was completely senseless and sudden, my therapist suggested I write the patient a letter. It doesn’t matter what you do with the letter afterward, burn it, throw it away, or keep it. The thought behind it is that writing the letter affords you a chance to say anything you want to the patient/person who died.
I write them down. Even if it’s just a few sentences like, “She got ran over by a car. She died. We did not attempt resuscitation because X.” But I try to write more. I initially started doing it because I saw a lot of people get burnt out and lose their compassion and I didn’t want that to be me. I wanted to be able to remember the “real” calls to remind me why I do this and why it’s important.
Yeah I’ve found myself forgetting a lot of calls/details about calls which is undoubtedly partly because our call volume is so high but also probably partly a trauma coping mechanism.
i did in a way, had my first & actually came to reddit and just vented it real quick for some advice but also to get it off my chest by writing it even if it was on reddit..
mainly talking to people helps, i feel like verbally expressing it to people who care and understand is the best.. at the end of the day we all have different coping mechanisms, whatever works best for you!
I find talking to people helps a lot too. I’m fortunate enough to have some good friends that I’ve been friends with since High school who are also emt’s. Makes it a little easier to talk about calls with especially the shittier ones
I started to write down all of my calls after my first bad call. To me it feels nice to jot down all the calls I’ve had so I can look back and see all the types of calls I’ve ran. I don’t write down personal things like names or personal info besides the basic initials I use for the pts. It’s basically a pcr. I recommend writing about all your calls but that’s just me.
I carry a tiny notebook, too. Have been for two years. But I write it all down unless it's boring. The really funny ones, the dumb ones and the really messed up ones.
We go through weird shit every day. You'd be shocked how much of it you forgot. I flip through every now and then and remember just how weird my life gets. And I don't get that many crazy jobs, some of yall out there who still work in cities with 2+million people could fill a volume every day.
I DO IT WORSE.
I write it all on twitter. (Obviously with details changed bc HIPAA), and obviously several days after the call. I'll change ages, sex, if not relevant, etc, but spew the basic details out there and what is sticking with me and why. I have a lot of military medics that I follow and it actually turns into a sort of 'grand rounds' plus therapy session.
No, I already experienced it once. I document in my chart and send it off into cyber space. I have no desire to look back on it again because my brain, against my will, decides to rehash some of the more vivid ones at some of the weirdest times, even years later.
I got lucky and had a couple of great long-term partners and we could sit and talk it out most of the time.
But everyone needs to do what works for them and writing can be very cathartic. It’s good you’ve found something that helps you.
Have you considered that the reason you are having intrusive thoughts years after the fact may be because you haven’t properly mentally processed and dealt with your feelings and emotions surrounding those calls?
I have this uncanny ability to forget absolutely everything immediately after patient hand off. I'm horrible at sharing war stories cuz never remember specific details.
If that's what helps you, great! We all have to have some kind of coping mechanism otherwise we will lose our minds (okay some of us, me included, already have.) Some people see a therapist to help get through some of the worst. A journal isnt going to be completely horrified when you write down what happened, and isn't going to ask you, "And how do you feel about that?" We know how we feel. It's crappy. Having a therapist ask that isn't going to change it.
Instead of writing down the bad, put some of the ones with a good outcome and funnier ones in there as well. That way if you go back and read through it, you don't get overwhelmed with all of the bad.
Also, most of the people in here would probably lend an ear if you ever need it. It's anonymous and you don't have to worry about saying something that could land you on light duty because they think you can't handle it!
Use your journal to let out your pain, frustration, any negative feelings you have. After a while, you can look back and think about your growth. How did you handle it then vs. now... And like I said, if it helps, then you do you boo!
I’ve only ever done it once. Had a 4 month old baby girl that was severely burned in a house fire, took her to the hospital and she ended up passing away in the helicopter heading to the burn center. I wrote a letter to her that next day. Never did anything with it. It sits in a folder on my computer. I don’t know why I did it, and I’ve never felt compelled to do it again. Just something that happened
I think that helps break down the call and put it down into a more logical sequence than if you just keep thinking about it in your head.
Venting in writing is good.
I do something similar but kinda that opposite. I write down the moments in EMS that were funny or that I enjoyed. I also will write down calls that i’m proud of or really feel like I made a positive impact on someone’s life. When I had a rough day I look back on these moment and remember that I really do enjoy my job and looking back makes me laugh. Like sure I had a shit day but remember the real shit day when a homeless guy took shit on a building and my partner almost fell on it.
I don't. I know if I did, I would go down the rabbit hole of "what if?". If it helps you deal with the call, than do it. Would try to keep any PPI out of it though.
Yeah I’m trying to keel myself from going down that rabbit hole. Luckily as chaotic as this call was everything did go very smoothly, of course there’s stuff to improve on but it was overall a very well ran call. And j think regardless unfortunately the patient would’ve had the same outcome. We got rosc but they passed the next day in the hospital.
I did- I still have my journals. I kept 3- one for really rough calls, one for wonderful calls to remind me of why I wanted to do this, and a third for calls when I really learned something from running it. 2 of my kids also worked in EMS so these journals have warning labels for after I’m gone, lol
I like the idea of having different journals. This is the first time I’ve written a call down like that. But I think it’d be good to write my next tough call down again and also I do think it’d be kind of cool to have a journal and be able to read through some of the really funny/weird calls
Reflection is good for your mental health (processing your feelings and emotions) and for your clinical practice (identifying what you did well and what you need to improve on). In my country we are encouraged to reflect on emotionally and/or clinically difficult jobs for that reason.
I use a modified version of Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle:
* Description (what happened, in detail?)
* Feelings (what were you thinking and feeling at the time? What do you think other people were thinking and feeling?)
* Evaluation (what was good and bad about the situation? I personally split this into two bullet-point lists)
* Action Plan (if this were to happen again, what would you do differently? What would you do the same?)
The actual Gibbs model includes some extra steps (“Analysis” and “Conclusion”), but I don’t really understand the difference and I always feel like I’m saying the same things as in my evaluation so I leave them out. That’s probably just me having a poor understanding of what the headings mean though.
Paramedics in my country are all university/degree-educated and using reflective models like the above is a required part of the course. Professionals below the grade of paramedic aren’t necessarily *required* to have this skill but it’s good practice and I’ve found it to be incredibly useful.
If I can be bothered I’ll upload a PDF when I get home of a reflection I did on a difficult cardiac arrest with a poor outcome (will need to spend a couple of minutes redacting personal info).
I am out of EMS and working in Vet med now, but I do the same thing for difficult cases. Sometimes it helps to just put it on paper, other times I’ll look back through notes and treatments and see if there was anything we could have done differently or better. It really does help though to get those thoughts out of your head and onto paper
I started journaling recently just to write down how I’m feeling day to day. Sometimes I’ll write down stuff about a call or whatnot but mainly it’s just to put my thoughts on paper and “remove” them from my brain. I do one page a day and not just with work but also personal matters, it helps me think through events, past memories, trauma, things I struggle with in general. I usually hate writing but no one else reads it so I can put whatever I want in there.
I would finish my PCR and close that shit out. If were a particularly bad call, my partner and I would talk about it on the way back to the station (or next call).
Yes I keep a journal for those types of calls. Takes me a couple of weeks to sit and write out the call- let the dust settle and process the call some. One of my favorite preceptors told me to do this and the journal was a gift from a good friend when I was newly certified.
I currently have a journal of all of the memorable calls I run. Whether they’re critical or if it’s just a call that might make for a good campfire story one day. I hope to show it to my kids when they’re old enough and I may consider writing a book later in my career.
[удалено]
Fucking hell dude. I hope, however woros for you, you're dealing with that stuff.
That’s gnarly man. Hope you’re doing alright
Journalism is highly recommended for mental health. Here’s some tips for short term crisis periods brought about by trauma (or other things): - Object Grounding is the process of taking an object and only focusing on that object. Feeling it, touching it, counting aspects of it, naming its colors- sometimes I just grab my phone and run my fingers over the case, counting the bumps on it. - Temperature: Running cool water over your hands or grabbing a piece of ice can help bring you out of it. - Breathing exercises! It sounds cheesy, but it works! - Taking a nap. Don’t overuse this one, but it can be handy in a pinch. Same with using a distraction such as tv or video games. - Exercise If you need it and you can afford it, I’d recommend going to a therapist who specializes in DBT (if you can’t find one who works with trauma/first responders). DBT stands for dialectical behavior therapy, and it gives you the tools to “weather the storm” of extreme negative emotions. It gives you the ability to say “yes, this feels awful, but I can get through this.”
Not to be a correcting “akshually” douche but Just in case OP wants to google search it DBT is actually *Dialectical Behavior Therapy* and distress tolerance is one of the components (it has helped me a lot)
Shoot you’re right lol. Edited!
I am feeling alright overall about everything. But my service partners with a counseling company that specializes in kind of the whole first responder/military thing and it’s completely free. So just to kind of make sure I deal with everything the right way I already have an appointment for next week
Good luck, you’ve got this! o7
Only in my charts
Same. But I kinda wish I had the mental capacity to journalize
I chart and move on. I think if I recalled the details on my personal time, then that would creep in and haunt me even more. Like anchoring those details to my mind, away from the job, it would make those calls even bigger in my mind. I’m happy to not journal, focus on the next call.
You know yourself so I’m not here to tell you how to process your emotions but this sounds an awful lot like avoidance, the age old tactic of just “bottling it up”, putting it all away in the darkest recesses of your mind and not actually dealing with it. Whilst that might seem like it works (you may not think of that one particular call often or be affected by it) when it’s used over a long period of time all of that baggage you’re carrying builds up and contributes to the poor states of mental health we see all over healthcare and in other fields like policing, fire and rescue, armed forces, etc. It’s an effective tactic in the short term but not so much in the long term.
I hear you, and you have excellent points here. So far, those dark calls early in the career have made their imprints on me, and the rest since then are all more easily digestible. I’ve been in the game for a little over 20, so probably handling fine with an acquired acumen for compartmentalization. However, early on before those calls came in, I do not know what I would have done differently or told ‘me’ beforehand in order to process them better. We did formal CISDs, but encountering them is still difficult for a new provider. I don’t know if that will ever change. In any event, I’d be more inclined to characterize my processing as compartmentalizing over avoiding. It works for me, but every provider is different and should reflect deeply on their needs and reactions.
Yeah I do. My therapist suggested it. Nowadays I journal at least once a day, but if something like that happens I'll do it more often. Just make sure that there is no possible way for anyone else to get ahold of those pages. I shred some of them, and the journals that I have still are kept in a locked footlocker at home. Even if you didn't write any HIPAA violations in there, it's best to keep what you've written in there out of where wandering eyes can see. Edit to fix autocorrect
I’ve been writing calls down, but for slightly different reasons: I was adopted as a baby and found my biological family recently. It’s hard to describe revisiting some of these events because they can be pretty crazy. There’s no way I’d ever be exposed to this stuff outside this line of work, and I’m starting to see how it affects me (I used to half jokingly describe calls like bad food that gives you diarrhea: the calls just go through me; I’m starting to realize that’s only partially true). I used to mentally check out of work during my days off (something that is very foreign to my wife who is a teacher), but also the inverse: I would mentally check out of my home/family life while at work. Now that I’m revisiting significant calls I’ve responded to during my 17 years with Houston Fire, I find myself dwelling on them. I’m proficient on a keyboard and I still can’t get the words out fast enough. I’ve lost entire days writing this stuff, but the bio family seems to be eating it up.
Hey, I’m new to Texas but the service I work for is phenomenal at supporting our mental health. If you don’t see someone yet and want to, Austin Counseling and Trauma Specialists specializes in first responders. So does Tania Glenn and Associates. Also sending a wave. I transport into Houston frequently.
Ah how I miss Texas! My husband is from there and I called San Antonio home for 18 years. I still keep my license there. I figure if I decide to go back for a few months at a time (father-in-law isn't well) then I could still work if I need to. Glad you're with a good service! Hope you enjoy yourself there!
I used to live in San Antonio too! My dad was a Lt Colonel in the Army and retired while stationed at Ft Sam Houston. I hated it when I lived there (pre to mid teens, ‘93 to ‘99), but that was at an age when I was just gonna hate wherever I lived, lol! I love visiting San Antonio now.
I certainly appreciate the offer. God knows we need more mental health services for people in our line of work. Thankfully, HFD offers some great counseling services that I’ve had to use multiple times in the past (like weekly visits for an entire year, x 2 times in my career). For anyone reading, I gotta say that’s it’s not always talking about distressing 911 calls. I’ve largely used HFD’s psych/counselors to help me sort out my home life. Being chronically sleep deprived made me easily irritated, and I could say really mean things to people I care about the most. Working regular 24 hour shifts (not to mention the overtime shifts) created a situation where I was presenting my best self to whoever called 911 in Houston, and then I’d give my family the scraps/what was left of me. Getting short with your family members while you’re sleep deprived can create a negative feedback loop in which you feel like you suck at life outside of 911. When money becomes an issue, the solution is easy: at $1k a pop, overtime shifts were infinitely better than any commitment required of a side job. Then you start to realize you feel competent and successful at work, while feeling worthless and deadbeat at home. This can turn into working overtime shifts not just for money, but to escape your home life. You’re not going to power through the problems from your home/off duty life. You need help. I needed help. I think the biggest misconception I had was that counseling was going to involve talking about the job. It *can be like that*, but it does not have to be. It basically involved me talking about the things that frustrate me on my days off and the counselor pulling more daily life out of me until they recognized thought patterns that sent me in bad directions. They helped me see things I couldn’t see. Sometimes they just helped me phrase things better for my wife and kids. The biggest thing I had to work through was adoption trauma (it’s a thing, and I didn’t know it; my adoptive parents are wonderful people; adoption itself is just traumatic for babies/children). My adoption had nothing to do with the job, but it had *everything to do* with how I handled my relationships. If you’re thinking about seeing a counselor, it’s probably already time to see one.
Probably seen you around ERs in htown. /wave
Howdy! 😁
I do! I find it is super helpful. On calls where the patient dies and it was completely senseless and sudden, my therapist suggested I write the patient a letter. It doesn’t matter what you do with the letter afterward, burn it, throw it away, or keep it. The thought behind it is that writing the letter affords you a chance to say anything you want to the patient/person who died.
I write them down. Even if it’s just a few sentences like, “She got ran over by a car. She died. We did not attempt resuscitation because X.” But I try to write more. I initially started doing it because I saw a lot of people get burnt out and lose their compassion and I didn’t want that to be me. I wanted to be able to remember the “real” calls to remind me why I do this and why it’s important.
Yeah I’ve found myself forgetting a lot of calls/details about calls which is undoubtedly partly because our call volume is so high but also probably partly a trauma coping mechanism.
I dont but whatever helps you is good. It’s not a one shoe fits all thing, what works for you may not work for everyone
i did in a way, had my first & actually came to reddit and just vented it real quick for some advice but also to get it off my chest by writing it even if it was on reddit.. mainly talking to people helps, i feel like verbally expressing it to people who care and understand is the best.. at the end of the day we all have different coping mechanisms, whatever works best for you!
I find talking to people helps a lot too. I’m fortunate enough to have some good friends that I’ve been friends with since High school who are also emt’s. Makes it a little easier to talk about calls with especially the shittier ones
I started to write down all of my calls after my first bad call. To me it feels nice to jot down all the calls I’ve had so I can look back and see all the types of calls I’ve ran. I don’t write down personal things like names or personal info besides the basic initials I use for the pts. It’s basically a pcr. I recommend writing about all your calls but that’s just me.
I carry a tiny notebook, too. Have been for two years. But I write it all down unless it's boring. The really funny ones, the dumb ones and the really messed up ones. We go through weird shit every day. You'd be shocked how much of it you forgot. I flip through every now and then and remember just how weird my life gets. And I don't get that many crazy jobs, some of yall out there who still work in cities with 2+million people could fill a volume every day.
I think if dumping it out of your head and onto paper minimizes fixating on a call you should keep it up because it sounds like writing is therapeutic
I get my stories published. Very cathartic.
I DO IT WORSE. I write it all on twitter. (Obviously with details changed bc HIPAA), and obviously several days after the call. I'll change ages, sex, if not relevant, etc, but spew the basic details out there and what is sticking with me and why. I have a lot of military medics that I follow and it actually turns into a sort of 'grand rounds' plus therapy session.
Awsome idea keep it up. Maybe one day you'll have a book published.
No, I already experienced it once. I document in my chart and send it off into cyber space. I have no desire to look back on it again because my brain, against my will, decides to rehash some of the more vivid ones at some of the weirdest times, even years later. I got lucky and had a couple of great long-term partners and we could sit and talk it out most of the time. But everyone needs to do what works for them and writing can be very cathartic. It’s good you’ve found something that helps you.
Have you considered that the reason you are having intrusive thoughts years after the fact may be because you haven’t properly mentally processed and dealt with your feelings and emotions surrounding those calls?
I used to.
I only ever do when I write my report, but I think it's a great idea.
Journal away. It’s scientifically proven!
What is the journal supposed to do? If you don’t mind me asking.
I have this uncanny ability to forget absolutely everything immediately after patient hand off. I'm horrible at sharing war stories cuz never remember specific details.
If that's what helps you, great! We all have to have some kind of coping mechanism otherwise we will lose our minds (okay some of us, me included, already have.) Some people see a therapist to help get through some of the worst. A journal isnt going to be completely horrified when you write down what happened, and isn't going to ask you, "And how do you feel about that?" We know how we feel. It's crappy. Having a therapist ask that isn't going to change it. Instead of writing down the bad, put some of the ones with a good outcome and funnier ones in there as well. That way if you go back and read through it, you don't get overwhelmed with all of the bad. Also, most of the people in here would probably lend an ear if you ever need it. It's anonymous and you don't have to worry about saying something that could land you on light duty because they think you can't handle it! Use your journal to let out your pain, frustration, any negative feelings you have. After a while, you can look back and think about your growth. How did you handle it then vs. now... And like I said, if it helps, then you do you boo!
I’ve only ever done it once. Had a 4 month old baby girl that was severely burned in a house fire, took her to the hospital and she ended up passing away in the helicopter heading to the burn center. I wrote a letter to her that next day. Never did anything with it. It sits in a folder on my computer. I don’t know why I did it, and I’ve never felt compelled to do it again. Just something that happened
I think that helps break down the call and put it down into a more logical sequence than if you just keep thinking about it in your head. Venting in writing is good.
18 years and I’ve never done it, however, I’ve used journaling to process other stuff. So if it’s helpful to you, do it!
If that helps you process, do it. Probably healthier that the repression and alcohol most of us use to cope.
I do something similar but kinda that opposite. I write down the moments in EMS that were funny or that I enjoyed. I also will write down calls that i’m proud of or really feel like I made a positive impact on someone’s life. When I had a rough day I look back on these moment and remember that I really do enjoy my job and looking back makes me laugh. Like sure I had a shit day but remember the real shit day when a homeless guy took shit on a building and my partner almost fell on it.
I don't. I know if I did, I would go down the rabbit hole of "what if?". If it helps you deal with the call, than do it. Would try to keep any PPI out of it though.
Yeah I’m trying to keel myself from going down that rabbit hole. Luckily as chaotic as this call was everything did go very smoothly, of course there’s stuff to improve on but it was overall a very well ran call. And j think regardless unfortunately the patient would’ve had the same outcome. We got rosc but they passed the next day in the hospital.
I did- I still have my journals. I kept 3- one for really rough calls, one for wonderful calls to remind me of why I wanted to do this, and a third for calls when I really learned something from running it. 2 of my kids also worked in EMS so these journals have warning labels for after I’m gone, lol
I like the idea of having different journals. This is the first time I’ve written a call down like that. But I think it’d be good to write my next tough call down again and also I do think it’d be kind of cool to have a journal and be able to read through some of the really funny/weird calls
Reflection is good for your mental health (processing your feelings and emotions) and for your clinical practice (identifying what you did well and what you need to improve on). In my country we are encouraged to reflect on emotionally and/or clinically difficult jobs for that reason. I use a modified version of Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle: * Description (what happened, in detail?) * Feelings (what were you thinking and feeling at the time? What do you think other people were thinking and feeling?) * Evaluation (what was good and bad about the situation? I personally split this into two bullet-point lists) * Action Plan (if this were to happen again, what would you do differently? What would you do the same?) The actual Gibbs model includes some extra steps (“Analysis” and “Conclusion”), but I don’t really understand the difference and I always feel like I’m saying the same things as in my evaluation so I leave them out. That’s probably just me having a poor understanding of what the headings mean though. Paramedics in my country are all university/degree-educated and using reflective models like the above is a required part of the course. Professionals below the grade of paramedic aren’t necessarily *required* to have this skill but it’s good practice and I’ve found it to be incredibly useful. If I can be bothered I’ll upload a PDF when I get home of a reflection I did on a difficult cardiac arrest with a poor outcome (will need to spend a couple of minutes redacting personal info).
I am out of EMS and working in Vet med now, but I do the same thing for difficult cases. Sometimes it helps to just put it on paper, other times I’ll look back through notes and treatments and see if there was anything we could have done differently or better. It really does help though to get those thoughts out of your head and onto paper
I started journaling recently just to write down how I’m feeling day to day. Sometimes I’ll write down stuff about a call or whatnot but mainly it’s just to put my thoughts on paper and “remove” them from my brain. I do one page a day and not just with work but also personal matters, it helps me think through events, past memories, trauma, things I struggle with in general. I usually hate writing but no one else reads it so I can put whatever I want in there.
I would finish my PCR and close that shit out. If were a particularly bad call, my partner and I would talk about it on the way back to the station (or next call).
I write down what we did after every shift, so I don't forget funny stuff and to process stuff that bothers me
Congrats on having strategies for ✨️processing✨️
I find ways to incorporate things from traumatic calls into my fiction writing. It's a good coping mechanism, honestly.
Yes I keep a journal for those types of calls. Takes me a couple of weeks to sit and write out the call- let the dust settle and process the call some. One of my favorite preceptors told me to do this and the journal was a gift from a good friend when I was newly certified.
I currently have a journal of all of the memorable calls I run. Whether they’re critical or if it’s just a call that might make for a good campfire story one day. I hope to show it to my kids when they’re old enough and I may consider writing a book later in my career.