24 hours

This Blog Post was originally published on the platform "writelier" (formerly "co-writers" and "200wordsaday"). Sadly the blogging platform was discontinued. I downloaded all my blog posts and prepared them to be republish them here.

I don't think I have written about it, but from time to time I am doing a 24-hour paramedic shift from Saturday 7 am to Sunday 7 am.

I don't do them often because they are exhausting. If you drive the whole day and then the night isn't much sleeping either, the sleep deficit hits you pretty bad on Sunday.

Once I did 36 hours. Sure I took a shower in between if I remembered correctly, but that was an experience I will never do again.

Interestingly, voluntary paramedics can pretty much do as long as they want. I know Colleges who did 48 hours and I think there was one doing 72.

Meanwhile paid paramedics are only allowed 12-hour shifts. A little bit strange, isn't it? You can't tell me volunteers are more powerful than paid ones.

But the system is how it is. I wouldn't trust myself driving a car and caring for people after 24 hours of no sleep. Hell, even 12 hours are extremely exhausting. With 24 you push the limits, but more?

I don't understand how and why people are doing this. There is just no thinking behind it. I don't think insurances will pay if you stayed awake 72 hours and drove the car into a tree.