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Fitch & Associates leadership group urges EMS providers to take fatigue-focused poll

The ASM group says with the effects of COVID, it is crucial that EMS agencies and industry leaders honestly evaluate and implement fatigue management practices

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By Leila Merrill

PLATTE CITY, Mo. — A group of EMS providers taking the Ambulance Service Manager (ASM) course through Fitch & Associates is researching how COVID-19 has affected fatigue in EMS.

To better understand the issue, they would like for their peers to take a poll, which is here.

A statement from the ASM group reads: “Fatigue in EMS has been a discussion for many years within the profession. As leaders, we recognize COVID has likely increased fatigue and caused a direct impact on our staff and our communities. Before COVID, research was conducted and products created to help EMS agencies address fatigue. However, with the effects of COVID in EMS, it is crucial that EMS agencies, licensing bodies, and other industry leaders honestly evaluate and implement fatigue management practices. Through our research, we desire to highlight the need for fatigue management, particularly after COVID’s impact, and seek to provide solutions for colleagues in the field with firsthand data on how we can support frontline care providers.”

The course participants hope to present their findings at Pinnacle and in a future EMS1 article. Registration for the 2022 Pinnacle EMS Leadership Forum opened recently.

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