“I wish I had known…” Drawing on the lived experience of shift work, sleep loss, and fatigue in early career Australian paramedics to inform sleep education and support”.

Australian paramedics deliver an essential healthcare service to the community. However, the work can be physically and psychologically demanding. Consequently, Australian paramedics experience poorer sleep, higher rates of serious injury, and higher mental health diagnoses than the general population. Shift work schedules, sleep loss and fatigue may contribute to these poor health outcomes, however the interplay between these factors has not previously been considered in depth in this working population.

To better understand the impact on workplace performance and safety, and paramedic wellbeing, we interviewed thirty Australian paramedics about their experiences with shift work, fatigue, and sleep loss. The goal of this research was to understand the paramedic experience, and also to identify achievable solutions or approaches to improve the experience of sleep, sleep disorders, and fatigue for Australian paramedics.

From this study, some early recommendations include: Early, and ongoing, education for paramedics about sleep and sleep disorders; Including families and children of paramedics in broader education and discussions about the impact of shift work in this profession; Investment from higher education providers, ambulance organisations, sleep experts and current paramedics with lived experience to develop and deliver meaningful education and awareness initiatives; Facilitating open conversations in the workplace about managing fatigue in the context of shift workers with challenging job roles; Exploring pathways for organisations to support access to specialist services for sleep for impacted paramedics; Federal investment to support these pathways.