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Paramedic fatigue a risk to health
The Age
Copyright 2008 The Age
MELBOURNE, Australia — Paramedics are falling asleep at the wheel and giving patients the wrong drugs because of high levels of fatigue on the job.
A survey of 347 Victorian paramedics last month found 98% of them battled fatigue at work in the past year, with a further 87% saying it had affected their judgement.
The survey, conducted by Ambulance Employees Australia, revealed that 73% blamed their workload for the problem and 69% believed it arose from not taking meal or rest breaks.
When asked to give examples of how fatigue had affected them, paramedics said they had fallen asleep while driving and had trouble administering drugs.
Ambulance Employees Australia state secretary Steve McGhie said patients and the community were being put at risk by fatigue arising from an extreme workload.
Copyright 2008 The Age
MELBOURNE, Australia — Paramedics are falling asleep at the wheel and giving patients the wrong drugs because of high levels of fatigue on the job.
A survey of 347 Victorian paramedics last month found 98% of them battled fatigue at work in the past year, with a further 87% saying it had affected their judgement.
The survey, conducted by Ambulance Employees Australia, revealed that 73% blamed their workload for the problem and 69% believed it arose from not taking meal or rest breaks.
When asked to give examples of how fatigue had affected them, paramedics said they had fallen asleep while driving and had trouble administering drugs.
Ambulance Employees Australia state secretary Steve McGhie said patients and the community were being put at risk by fatigue arising from an extreme workload.
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