Self Care, noun

Self-care, noun

/self-kare/ first recorded 1860-65

The active process of making your body and mind a pleasant place to inhabit, by filling your own cup first. This ensures that you have enough to give others.

Self-care is not selfish. It is critical to a long, healthy career and to your wellbeing. First responders, E.M.T.s, firefighters, paramedics, police officers, lifeguards, nurses or doctors all are high-stress professions. These occupations demand advanced education, training, and passion to do them well. The expectation is that these people will put the needs of others first while they are “on duty.”

As we naturally age in life and advance in our careers from rookies or trainees to experienced professionals, the call volume goes up, the demands of the work increase, sleep is lost, and time at the gym or outdoors may be reduced because we are too busy or too tired. When we become too busy to take time for ourselves, it’s a sign of impending danger. Slowly we gain weight, lose motivation for outside hobbies – we tell people, “I used to fish, hike, surf, play tennis, etc. but I just don’t have time anymore.” Bit by bit our physical fitness decreases.

Ask yourself whether you’re proactively putting in the work to replenish and recharge. Each person has unique needs, so a personal plan is critical. For some, their personal prescription for self-care may include yoga, meditation, surfing, hiking a nearby hill, running around a nearby lake, or swimming for 30 minutes. Adult play is an important part of self-care. Recreation, when broken down, is formed from, “re” and “creation.”

When every call at work becomes a chore to answer, it’s a sign that you are tipping over. Getting out of bed five times after midnight will test the patience and professionalism of even the best and most caring E.M.T. or paramedic. The key is to honor the patient, to represent your agency and your profession well through the high-quality care and professional service you render.

If you ask a patient, “How can I help you?” in a genuine and caring manner that will be felt by them as real and authentic. If you have a scowl on your face and a tone of irritability and resentment, that will be felt by the patient as well.

Your burnt-out co-worker may grumble under their breath, “It’s just another drunk with pancreatitis… We will never solve this problem.” Remember, your compassionate care and encouragement may be the first step toward the help this patient needs on their journey to healing and recovery. We never know of the power of a single act of kindness. An “attitude of gratitude” can go a very long way and set the tone for an entire shift. Replenishing your essence and retaining your equilibrium can only be accomplished through proper self-care and staying balanced when you work in a high-stress profession with never-ending demands.

When I was working as a paramedic, I developed a term for what I called my “compassion bucket.” After a vacation away with my wife, I would return to work with a spring in my step and a smile on my face. I’d feel rested, recharged, and full of compassion. My compassion bucket would be the size of a 55-gallon drum.

But waking up to an alarm at work can be alarming! Interrupted sleep, especially during the REM (rapid-eye movement) cycle is an assault on the senses. Driving a vehicle with red lights and sirens 60 to 90 seconds after waking up is a required duty… doing this safely is critical.

And so, much like the story of Cinderella and her chariot that turned into a pumpkin at midnight… my compassion bucket would often turn into a “compassion thimble” as time went on. My questions to patients would be reduced to the most basic: Name, age, chief complaint, duration, past medical history.

Take time to listen to the vital signs. Is this a basic level emergency? Is this an advanced level emergency requiring immediate intervention or medication? Did the patient want to go to the hospital or were they simply anxious about a strange symptom that they were having? Was this a random medical event or the result of drinking too much alcohol or eating too many CBD gummies?

Often, I visualize the symbol yin and yang. This is the Chinese philosophical concept that describes opposite forces. If I was going to be working on a busy unit in the heat of the summer with the promise of bad nights too, I would try to spend some time at the beach the day before or after…swimming in the water, resting under an umbrella, and staying hydrated. I’d focus on getting prepared for the following day or recovering from the previous shift.

I encourage you to take inventory of what the level of your compassion bucket is. Is your compassion full, running low, or empty? This should become a daily practice and eventually a habit. Take the steps necessary to take care of yourself and not become bitter, angry, or grumpy the next time you are dispatched to assist a little old lady that slid out of her chair.