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Why are so many EMS providers exhausted—even when they “sleep”? Why does stress feel constant, recovery impossible, and burnout unavoidable?

In this episode of EMSconnect On Shift, we’re joined by Haley Scellick, ARNP from First Responder Health and Wellness to break down what’s really happening inside the bodies of first responders. We dive into chronic fatigue, cortisol dysregulation, sleep disruption, and hormone imbalance, and explain why feeling “wired but tired” is not just part of the job—it’s a warning sign.

Haley explains how shift work, repeated stress exposure, and poor recovery disrupt cortisol rhythms, suppress testosterone, impair sleep, and quietly increase long-term health risks for EMS providers. We also tackle common misconceptions, why “normal labs” don’t always mean a healthy provider, and how caffeine, overtraining, and tough-it-out culture can make things worse.

Most importantly, this episode focuses on realistic, actionable strategies EMS providers can actually use—without quitting the job or chasing perfect sleep.

If you’ve ever felt exhausted, burned out, short-tempered, foggy, or just not like yourself anymore… this episode is for you.

🎧 Topics include:

• Chronic fatigue vs. normal job stress
• Cortisol and shift work
• Sleep myths in EMS culture
• Testosterone and hormone suppression
• When to seek testing and real help
• Practical steps to protect your health on and off shift

Because being tired shouldn’t be the cost of saving lives.

🎙️ Guest Information: Haley Scellick, ARNP - First Responder Health and Wellness

Supplements: https://www.firstresponderhealth.net/

First Responder Health and wellness on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565005384987

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Poisonings and overdoses are a growing portion of EMS calls, and rapid recognition can mean the difference between life and death. Toxicology 101 is designed to give BLS providers a practical, field-focused approach to identifying and managing common toxidromes. This course breaks down the five core toxidromes, common substances involved, key assessment findings, and critical BLS interventions.

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In this episode of EMSconnect On Shift, we sit down with Patrick Pianezza, former Paramedic and Writer of the film Code 3, for an honest, inside look at telling EMS stories from someone who has actually lived them.

Patrick shares how his time on the streets shaped the characters, calls, and emotional weight of Code 3, why authenticity matters when portraying EMS on screen, and how cumulative stress, burnout, dark humor, and identity all find their way into the story. We talk about the calls that stay with you, the parts of the job the public never sees, and what it’s like to step away from the uniform while still serving the EMS community in a different way.

LISTEN to all of "The Fractured Saints" here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4TLc8SGP9pX4MaaLz1b8TW?si=8gFJ-mMHRyCQTClDVzKjHA

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🔗 EMSconnect – All Social Media & Resources

👉 https://linktr.ee/EMSconnect