Union calls for better support for paramedics amid 'profound mental health crisis'
Opioid crisis, pandemic, extreme weather and staffing shortages all taking a toll on paramedics, union says
During his more than 30 years as a paramedic in B.C., Terry McManus has had many sleepless nights.
"You come home from work and there's something still on your mind. Or you rip a strip off of a waiter or waitress because the ice isn't cold enough. It has nothing to do with the waiter or the ice. It's something you're carrying from last week, or a year ago."
McManus, who is now retired from the job, witnessed and experienced trauma every day while out on calls.
But he says the support for his and his colleagues' mental health was lacking.
"I, personally, have had a counsellor, a mental health professional, tell me to stop the session because the information I was giving them was way too graphic. They didn't like it. That's just one call out of thousands that we want to talk about. It wears on you, and you can't get the help you need."
Advocates like McManus are calling for better, urgent mental health support for paramedics amid what the union that represents paramedics and dispatchers describes in a statement as a "profound mental health crisis" within the profession.
The president of the Ambulance Paramedics of B.C., which represents about 6,000 paramedics and dispatchers across the province, said in a news release that the union is seeing "unprecedented levels of mental health and wellness claims" among members.
The union said recent reports show that 30 per cent of paramedics and dispatchers are off work for mental health reasons or working while actively involved in mental health treatment. It said nine B.C. paramedics have died this year, due to health issues, accidents, and in some cases, by suicide, which the union believes is "very likely" connected to workplace stress.
"It's imperative that we look after our people, ensuring they are healthy and safe to come to work, so they can continue to be there for your family members when they need them most, union president Jason Jackson said. "We need solutions, and we need them now."
Compounding issues
Nicki Ropp, a mental health and wellness co-ordinator for the union, said the last six years in particular have been challenging for paramedics.
"With the ongoing opioid crisis that continues to take up a lot of our call volume, the pandemic, the flooding, the heat dome, our staffing shortages, wildfires, everything. This is all compounding things," she said. "And we keep coming back to work, and we keep doing these things and keep showing up."
But what isn't happening, she said, is that paramedics aren't getting enough time off to recover from stressful shifts, day in and day out, and they don't have the tools to work through the overlapping traumas.
According to the union, paramedics in B.C. responded to nearly one million calls.
"I think there's a lot of people who have compassion fatigue, burnout, whatever the word is that we're using, but we are fatigued," Ropp said. "We're tired, that's for sure."
'We have come a long way, but it's not enough'
B.C. Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) does provide mental health services for staff, including a team to debrief after traumatic calls and is also available as needed. BCEHS also has an Employee and Family Assistance Program that offers support like counselling for staff and their loved ones, and it has round-the-clock crisis support.
WorkSafeBC said it also offers some services, like counselling and access to other mental health specialists.
BCEHS chief operations officer Jennie Helmer said she's heard loud and clear from front-line staff that they need more.
"We're working on an immediate action plan to introduce more support, more education, more tools that staff are asking for and then working out a longer-term approach as well," she said.
McManus said he'd like to see counsellors who are available 24/7 who have experience dealing with the kind of trauma first responders experience.
"Maybe they've spent some time working in the emergency departments … they can see what we do and they can feel it a little more and be compassionate and get us the help that we need."
Ropp said immediate psychological support should be the priority, and better benefits to allow paramedics and dispatchers to be more proactive about their mental health.
"We have come a long way, but it's not enough."
If you or someone you know is struggling, here's where to look for help:
- Canada's Suicide Crisis Helpline: Call or text 988.
- Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868. Text 686868. Live chat counselling on the website.
- Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention: Find a 24-hour crisis centre.
- This guide from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health outlines how to talk about suicide with someone you're worried about.
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With files from Amelia John