Plus: Former Prince Andrew's arrest and sovereign immunity
| | | | Top headlines Lead story P. Daniel Patterson, a University of Pittsburgh professor of emergency health care worker safety and paramedic, knows firsthand the dangers of chronic fatigue in emergency medical services work. After responding to over 15 calls during a 32-hour shift with little rest, the author describes one particularly chaotic call when he missed early signs of a life-threatening heart condition in a patient. Although the patient ultimately received care, the delay highlighted how sleep deprivation slows cognition, increases distraction and can directly affect patient outcomes. More than 80% of paramedics and EMTs report chronic fatigue, with many getting fewer than six hours of sleep before shifts. Chronic sleep loss is linked to higher rates of injury, medical errors, cardiovascular disease and heart attacks – particularly among night-shift workers. While Patterson's story is rooted in Pittsburgh, its relevance is national. He describes an industry where staffing shortages, mandatory overtime and long shifts are common in EMS systems across the United States. He also explains how napping, while not common practice, could improve public safety. [How faith and religion drive the world. Sign up for our weekly newsletter, This Week in Religion.] |  | Cassandra Stone Pittsburgh Associate Editor | |  The reality of EMS work is that most paramedics and emergency medical technicians work 12-, 24-, and 48-hour shifts. Svitlana Hulko/iStock Collection/Getty Images Plus P. Daniel Patterson, University of Pittsburgh A paramedic and university professor shares data about how strategic napping could help his own health while saving the lives of others. | International | -
Francesca Jackson, Lancaster University The British monarch is immune from criminal liability and certain other privileges apply to senior royals. | | Arts + Culture | -
Stanley Stepanic, University of Virginia Count Dracula was originally a rank-breathed predator. His transformation into a tragic romantic mirrors a century of shifting attitudes about sex, gender and desire. | | Politics + Society | -
Richard F. Hamm, University at Albany, State University of New York Both Prohibition and current mass deportation efforts were hastily built, staffed by people permitted to use force, and had difficult objectives to achieve. | | Economy + Business | -
Diane Cress, Wayne State University Every dollar spent on community health education through SNAP-ED saved an estimated $10.64 in Medicaid spending by the government before the program was shut down. | | Health + Medicine | -
Jan Lowery, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Only 50% of Colorado homes have been tested for radon. -
Jenni Shearston, University of Colorado Boulder Heavy metals, phthalates and other potentially harmful chemicals have been detected in a range of menstrual products – the latest category of concern in the personal care aisle. | | Education | -
Brian Herman, University of Minnesota A small portion of university research funding comes from individual donors. Most universities have policies in place to protect against wrongdoing. -
Naomi Andrews, Brock University; Molly Dawes, University of South Carolina Teasing is a common but complex behaviour that can signal relational closeness, but it can also have antisocial functions. | | Ethics + Religion | -
Mark Schroeder, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Seeing someone charitably requires a balancing act between taking them seriously and trying to see the good in them. | | Science + Technology | -
Zachary del Rosario, Olin College of Engineering Scientific research, artificial intelligence and modern bank security all rely on probability. | | Podcast 🎙️ | -
Gemma Ware, The Conversation James Rodgers talks to The Conversation Weekly podcast about why Russia turned its back on the west. | | | | The Conversation News Quiz 🧠 | -
Fritz Holznagel, The Conversation Here's the first question of this week's edition: The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans, released by the federal government in January, are based on a simple, three-word motto. What is it? - A. Beautiful clean kale
- B. Grill baby grill
- C. Green is good
- D. Eat real food
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