Are these really the people that should be required to work so much? Isn’t their job about handling life and death daily? Wouldn’t we want exactly these people to come fully rested to work every single day and be fully staffed?
I don’t know if there are jobs with similar stakes that are so carelessly staffed and disgustingly paid.
On a good shift, yes, we have down time. My current job I am usually lucky and get time to sit around, but it’s not generally as relaxing as you’d think because at any time I need to be up and out the door within 90 seconds, so I’m always mentally in go mode.
My last job I didn’t do 24s, but I did do 16s, and I had to work a lot of OT to pay rent, so it was not uncommon for me to work 6 days/80 hours a week and I definitely did not spend time sitting around the station. I was almost always out running calls. I’d come home, sleep for 3/4 hours and be out the door again to work.
Not trying to do the suffering one-upsmanship. I’ve had to do clinical shifts in the ER for my schooling and I hated every moment of it. I don’t think you could pay me enough to work in a hospital, it’s not my thing. I have deep respect for my nursing homies, I love them and always have had a great working relationship with them. OP commented that they don’t know any other jobs with such ridiculous working requirements so I added two.
Fair enough.