Emergency Medicine and PTSD with Sarah Spelsberg

In this series, we are bringing blog posts to life by interviewing the authors. Also, by generating AI audio conversations of the blog to make them accessible in audio format. I then summarise the audio in conclusion.

We begin this episode by interviewing Dr. Sarah Spelsberg to add context and personal insight behind an AI‑generated adaptation of her latest RogueMed post, “Emergency Medicine and PTSD.” Through her reflections, we explore how repeated exposure to trauma profoundly affects emergency clinicians.

Dr. Spelsberg describes how witnessing death, severe injury, suicides, resuscitations, violence, and patient suffering can lead to chronic stress and PTSD. She highlights that up to 14.6 % of emergency personnel experience PTSD symptoms, higher than rates in police or firefighters. The pressure of balancing life-or-death decision-making with systemic constraints crowded EDs, insufficient staffing, and administrative burdens amplifies emotional strain.

Our discussion focuses on the emotional toll of moral injury, guilt, burnout, hypervigilance, flashbacks, insomnia, and emotional exhaustion that haunt providers long after their shifts end. Dr. Spelsberg emphasises that PTSD in emergency medicine isn’t rare it’s predictable under these circumstances and requires culturally appropriate recognition and care.

We explore evidence-backed strategies: trauma-informed debriefs, peer support networks, access to psychological therapies like cognitive behavioural therapy and EMDR, and cultivating a culture that normalises seeking help. Dr. Spelsberg underscores that organisational change revamping shift patterns, enhancing supervision, and providing mental health resources is as crucial as individual resilience.

By sharing lived experience and actionable solutions, this episode reframes PTSD not as a weakness but as an expected response needing compassion, systemic support, and meaningful action. You can access the blog this podcast is based on here: https://roguemed.medium.com/emergency-medicine-and-ptsd-e0841f945d55

My thanks to Sarah Spelsberg for this interview as a co-host of The World Extreme Medicine podcast.

This episode is sponsored by PAX: The gold standard in emergency response bags.

When you’re working under pressure, your kit needs to be dependable, tough, and intuitive. That’s exactly what you get with PAX. Every bag is handcrafted by expert tailors who understand the demands of pre-hospital care. From the high-tech, skin-friendly, and environmentally responsible materials to the cutting-edge welding process that reduces seams and makes cleaning easier, PAX puts performance first. They’ve partnered with 3M to perfect reflective surfaces for better visibility, and the bright grey interior makes finding gear fast and effortless, even in low light. With over 200 designs, PAX bags are made to suit your role, needs, and environment. And thanks to their modular system, many bags work seamlessly together, no matter the setup.

PAX doesn’t chase trends. Their designs stay consistent, so once you know one, you know them all. And if your bag ever takes a beating? Their in-house repair team will bring it back to life.PAX – built to perform, made to last.

Learn more at pax-bags.com