We asked EMS providers, “What’s your top tip for clearing your head after a difficult call?” Responses poured in, with responders sharing their go-to solutions. Some were funny, some were candid and a few made clear how little room there is to truly decompress.
Talking it out
Readers’ most common answer was also the simplest: lean on a partner, a friend or a coworker who gets it, ideally someone who works in the field.
- “Talk to my partner, cry and get a dessert (in that order).”
- “Talk to my work partner, call a close friend who also works EMS, cry or meditate.”
- “Talk about it. Talk to your family, your significant other, your close friend, your counselor, your coworkers, your dog.”
- “Debrief with my partner.”
- “Cry, debrief.”
- “Talk it out or write it down. Either way, get rid of it.”
- “I’ve learned that if you’re going to talk to someone, it needs to be with someone who works in our field. Sorry, you have to live it to be able to talk with someone about it.”
- “If the call was bad and bothers you even a little, talk it through. If it’s still a problem, reach out for help. It’s available.”
Relying on dark humor
Many commenters said laughing at the worst of it, often in terms outsiders wouldn’t get, helps them get to the end of the shift.
- “Extreme black humor.”
- “Dark humor.”
- “A couple of off-color jokes and then back to work.”
- “‘I’m going to go scream into the void in the supply closet real quick. Anyone want to join?’”
- “I used humor to get through it and the fire department would always be there laughing with me.”
- “I’ve said in the past that, no matter the situation, there’s ALWAYS something you can laugh about, no matter how bad it was. Humor is medicinal.”
Moving on to the next call
For a good number of readers, the best reset is the job itself: another call, another patient, with no time to dwell.
- “Just on to the next one.”
- “Call after call after call.”
- “Run another call.”
- “Going on the next call. That’s my job.”
- “I told myself, ‘This is what you signed up for! Move on to the next.’ Worked for me”
- “A short pity party followed by the realization that you have a report to write and more calls to answer. Then laughter!”
- “Just move on, tell jokes and focus on something else. Laugh and think of anything but that call, because there will be more.”
Reaching for comfort food
A surprising number of readers named a snack, a drink or a dessert as the thing that gets them through, often shared with a partner.
- “Taco Bell.”
- “Large Oreo and Cheesecake Blizzard.”
- “Fruit cup in the EMS room.”
- “Grape Uncrustable.”
- “Potato chips! And a good laugh.”
- “Gas station milkshakes, a cuss-filled rant, nicotine.”
- “You cry first then talk to your partner WHILE eating dessert, preferably ice cream. That’s always worked for me.”
- “Duh, food.”
Resetting physically or mentally
Other readers described a physical or mental reset, from exercise and fresh air to puzzles and old movies.
- “Movement and music.”
- “A shower and a clean uniform.”
- “A cup of tea with one sugar and a little walk for some fresh air.”
- “Go take 15 minutes at the local dog park and pet strangers’ dogs. Works for me and the owners usually don’t mind. Toss a few balls, pet the floofs or play chase.”
- “Serious exercise within 24 hours for the really bad ones.”
- “The sooner I can do a highly focused, intense activity, the better. Mountain biking works for me.”
- “Play Tetris.”
- “Watching a classic old movie.”
Changing the perspective
Many providers said they relied on their faith and separating themselves from the patient’s emergency.
- “Prayer!”
- “Me personally, I would just pray and let God guide me.”
- “Always remember it’s their emergency, not yours.”
- “Have confidence that you did your best. The grass is green; the sky is blue. That is my way to show things are normal.”
- “Finding the silver lining to the situation.”
Indulging in vices
Several commenters were candid about nicotine, caffeine and alcohol. A few noted the cost.
- “Cigarette, coffee, music.”
- “Bad habits: nicotine and caffeine. Healthy habits: Cool, quiet, dark room and deep breaths.”
- “Beer.”
- “Add it to the number of shots you take after shift.”
- “I would go home and spend time with my husband. Get drunk. Then, when everyone’s asleep, sit on the cold garage floor and cry.”
- “Used to be chain smoking but didn’t want to end up with 20 feet of nasal cannula attached to me while chained to an O2 tank.”
A lack of time to process
A few commenters pushed back, saying that constant call volume and staffing shortages leave no room to deal with what they’ve seen.
- “There’s no time to process anything when you’re running call after call.”
- “Knowing I’m never getting off the ambulance due to a shortage of medics.”
- “It takes time. It doesn’t happen overnight with one conversation, one discussion, one hug, etc.”
- “It’s OK to need a break. Your life and wellbeing come before everything, but only you can enforce that. If you’re not well, you can’t take care of people, and it’s human for you to need rest from this work.”
🩺 The EMS Pulse takeaway
Readers didn’t agree on one fix, but the most common responses were connection, humor and some kind of physical or sensory reset. A smaller group said call volume, staffing and pay leave little room to process anything, and several admitted to leaning on nicotine and alcohol.
