Latest news with #patientTransport
CNA
24-05-2025
- Health
- CNA
Exposure to high stress at our jobs can harm us in the long run. How do we handle the pressure?
One moment, he is in Singapore and the next, he is in another country helping to transport a patient across country borders. In an aeroplane with limited resources, sick patients and worried family members thousands of metres above the ocean, stress is all too common for Dr Charles Johnson, an emergency medicine physician. While he has since adapted to the pressure and irregular hours since become a doctor more than 30 years ago, the 56-year-old told CNA TODAY that it took him over a decade to get used to the high amount of stress associated with his job. 'When the patient is critically ill, we're working under time pressure with limited resources on the plane,' he said. 'You can't go to the nearest hospital because you're in a plane in the middle of the ocean ... and there are things you can't control like bad weather and turbulence. But I just trust myself that in the moment, I do the right thing and the best I can." Although individuals such as Dr Johnson eventually find a way to function efficiently and more comfortably in such environments, health experts told CNA TODAY that constant exposure to high-stress environments can be harmful, leaving a lasting impact on mental health and decision-making capabilities. LITTLE MARGIN FOR ERROR High-pressure jobs often have tight timelines and place great pressure on people to do everything perfectly because mistakes can have dire consequences. This can be those in the financial services who deal with clients who might give them pressure to perform, to those in the medical field or law enforcement officers who face life-or-death situations often. People who work in other sectors may not face such high pressure situations on a regular basis but may be exposed to them on occasion. Ms Sandhya Aswani, a mental health counsellor from social enterprise It All Starts Hear, said several factors contribute to a high-pressure work environment. For instance, the nature of the job could be fast-paced with tight deadlines, or people are expected to deal with critical situations such as emergency response settings. 'Such environments can be physically and emotionally demanding, requiring you to make quick decisions on the go. These decisions often have high impact and lasting consequences,' she said. Beyond that, such jobs may have little margin for error and employees may have high expectations placed on them. 'All of this is magnified in environments with little support or healthy avenues for employees to cope with stress,' Ms Sandhya said. THE RISKS OF A HIGH-PRESSURE JOB Dr Annabelle Chow, principal clinical psychologist at Annabelle Psychology, said that when people are placed in high-pressure situations, their brain kicks into survival mode by activating their sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system activates the fight-or-flight response when faced with a threat of perceived danger, by releasing adrenaline and cortisol, a stress hormone. 'Although natural stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline play useful roles in enhancing brain function and increasing blood glucose levels for immediate muscle action, these benefits are only short-term,' she said. 'Key functions such as decision making and emotional processing start to break down, making it harder to stay clear-headed.' In the long run, Dr Chow warned that chronic stress can affect the brain, especially when it comes to memory, emotional regulation and decision making. 'Over time, it also increases the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and dementia,' she added. 'Essentially, prolonged stress causes the brain to function in ways that are non-optimal, making it harder for individuals to cope with and respond to situations appropriately.' She noted that several studies have shown that chronic stress can reduce the size of the part of the human brain that makes learning and forming new memories difficult. The amygdala, a part of the brain that regulates emotions, can become overactive as well, making people more prone to anxiety or mood swings. For people holding high-pressure jobs where there can be life-or-death outcomes – such as doctors and firefighters – witnessing tragedies as a result of a mistake can also result in survivor's guilt or post-traumatic stress disorder, she added. MANAGE THE PRESSURE WITHOUT LEAVING THE JOB Ultimately, people in high-stress jobs may not be able to escape the pressure entirely without giving up on their careers. However, the experts said there are practical ways to manage the stress. Ms Vivien Tay, a senior counsellor at New Leaf, said it is essential to stay connected to the purpose that drives our work, and trust the judgments that we have learnt through years of training, education and experience. 'While it is natural to feel the weight of others' expectations, staying grounded in your professional training and experience is key to making informed and sound decisions.' She also said that having a supportive network of trusted professionals such as colleagues, mentors or supervisors can help refocus your thinking and assist when the weight of the decision feels overwhelming. 'Maintaining sound decision-making in high-pressure, life-and-death situations requires a balance of self-awareness, support and practical techniques to manage stress,' she added. 'By staying true to your professional training, embracing collaboration and recognising the uncertainty inherent in complex situations, you can navigate high-stakes situations with composure, clarity and confidence.' Dr Chow warned against habits such as skipping meals or sacrificing sleep that negatively affect mental clarity in high-pressure jobs. 'While these may seem like quick solutions, they have significant consequences for mental clarity. The brain requires adequate fuel from food to function optimally and without regular meals, cognitive performance – including concentration, memory and decision making – suffers,' she said. 'To break free from these unproductive patterns, it is essential to replace them with healthier alternatives that prioritise self-care and well-being so that we can be productive in a more sustainable manner.' She said that adopting relaxation techniques such as diaphragmatic breathing, which involves slow and deep breaths to help promote relaxation, can help reduce stress throughout he day. When possible, taking short and regular breaks throughout the workday can help prevent mental fatigue, Dr Chow added. It is also important to take care of yourself by staying hydrated and getting enough sleep each day. 'Mental clarity is influenced by a combination of physiological, emotional and cognitive factors,' she said. 'It is important to remember that change does not need to happen all at once. The key to long-lasting transformation is to start small. Choose one area where you feel most ready to improve. Perhaps it is committing to getting enough sleep or tackling tasks before they pile up.' For Dr Johnson, adopting "lifestyle medicine" has helped him stay clear-headed and reduce his stress levels so that he is able to do his best at work while in "the right mind space". Lifestyle medicine is a medical multidisciplinary specialty that looks at making healthy lifestyle interventions to prevent and reverse the root causes of health challenges such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension and more. Dr Johnson said he has turned to a diet that avoids meats and ultra-processed food. He exercises often and tries his best to get enough restful sleep. 'It is these little things that help me stay healthy and clear-headed so I can handle work ... and reminding myself that I've tried my best and given my all whenever I'm (on call).'
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ambulance crash in Minooka sends 5 to hospital, authorities say
The Brief A Minooka ambulance crashed with another vehicle around 3 p.m. Friday at Ridge Road and Wildy Road while transporting a patient. Five people were hospitalized—four from the ambulance, one from the other vehicle—but none had life-threatening injuries. The road was temporarily closed and has since reopened; the Kendall County Sheriff's Office is investigating. MINOOKA, Ill. - Five people are hospitalized after a Minooka ambulance collided with another vehicle Friday afternoon, according to the Kendall County Sheriff's Office. What we know The crash happened around 3 p.m. at Ridge Road and Wildy Road. The ambulance was transporting a patient at the time of the crash. Authorities have not released details on what led to the collision. Four people from the ambulance and one person from the other vehicle were taken to area hospitals. None of the injuries were life-threatening, the sheriff's office said. What's next The roadway was temporarily closed but has since reopened. The crash remains under investigation by the Kendall County Sheriff's Office.
Daily Mail
11-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Minibus medics sent to answer 999 calls as 'underinvestment and understaffing' hits ambulance service
Scotland's 'overstretched' ambulance service is sending minibuses out to deal with emergency calls, it has been revealed. Patient transport vehicles (PTV) were dispatched to 320 999 calls last year, sparking fears of 'life threatening' consequences. The vehicles are designed to take patients to and from routine healthcare appointments, but statistics show they are now responding more regularly to far more serious calls. The transport vehicles carry less life-saving technology than ambulances and are crewed by staff with less medical training than paramedics. The ambulance service has said PTVs are only ever sent to emergencies after an assessment has been made by a first responder that it is suitable to do so. However, campaigners have hit out at the situation, stating the pressures the service and its staff are already under could exacerbate any risks. Pat McIlvogue, Unite industrial officer said: 'It can be appropriate for patients to be taken to hospitals in patient transport vehicles (PTVs) after assessment. 'The real issue is though that due to lengthy hospital delays and the acute stresses on the system by the time patients receive care assistance then their health situation may have deteriorated significantly. 'Staff should not be put in the awful position of making a decision about either transporting a patient to a hospital or waiting for an emergency back up which could take too long due to patient handover times for ambulances at hospitals. 'It really is a vicious and dangerous circle that many of our frontline health care professionals face. 'Any marginal improvements in ambulance waiting times or the use of PTVs in an emergency situation we need to remember is coming from a position of record high levels. 'The problem still remains that there is underinvestment and understaffing in our health and emergency services.' Figures released under Freedom of Information show patient transport vehicles attended 320 'emergency incidents' in 2024-25. This was slightly lower than the 376 incidents they were despatched to a year earlier and less than half of the massive 696 times they were sent to emergencies in 2022-23. However, the numbers are still far higher than they were in the four year period between 2018-19 and 2021-22. None of those years saw the vehicles attend more than 260 emergencies. Scottish Conservative shadow public health minister Brian Whittle MSP said: 'These alarming figures lay bare how overstretched Scotland's ambulance service is after years of chronic mismanagement by the SNP. 'It is concerning these vehicles are being used in emergency situations, including when patients are suffering cardiac arrests. 'Yet this is the life-threatening reality for many Scots, after years of mismanagement by nationalist health secretaries who've pushed frontline care beyond breaking point. 'Patient safety must always be the top priority, but this crisis is only getting worse on the SNP's watch. 'Neil Gray needs to cut the bloated bureaucracy in our health service and prioritise getting resources to the frontline.' Explaining its use of PTVs in its FOI response, the SAS said: 'The Scottish Ambulance Service will always dispatch an emergency ambulance for patients who require an ambulance intervention and/or monitoring on route to hospital. 'Patient Transport Vehicles only attend emergency incidents after clinical assessment through our Integrated Clinical Hub or clinicians at scene, who have identified that a patient requires further assessment at hospital, it is safe and appropriate for the patient to travel by this method and not necessary for an emergency ambulance to transport them to hospital.' The service also said that PTV's 'will and have been tasked to cardiac arrests where they are the closest resource'. However, it said the number of these deployments is less than five annually.
