Introduction
In this brief news report, frontline workers discuss their personal and professional experiences with addiction and what it has been like to respond to an overdose during the opioid crisis. They talk about their loved one’s addiction and how this impacted their ability to help others. However, they also talk about the importance of recognizing compassion fatigue.
KMOV St. Louis posted this video as a follow-up to ‘Contaminated: The Fentanyl Crisis in St. Louis‘
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Quotes
“In this special report, we put a spotlight on those working the frontlines and show the consequences that we are left with.”
“Addiction takes the things that we love most about the people we love and pushes them so far down that you forget that they are there.”
“Becoming an ER nurse has helped me see what people in our community are suffering from.”
“I think stigma is killing people more than people realize.”
“Fentanyl is what we’re seeing all the time and it’s more deadly, it’s more prevalent, it’s cheap.”
“I have to tell someone the thing you love is gone and there’s not a thing I can do about it.”
CHRIS THOMPSON, PARAMEDIC SUPERVISOR
“It’s in every community, it’s in every neighbourhood. I’ve never seen anything like that and there’s no end in sight for it.”
“Constantly responding to overdoses takes a toll in First Responders.”
“When I took this job, I got it because I knew I wanted to help people and the people in this city need the help.”
“Being in the substance abuse treatment field has been one of the best ways I’ve learned to cope with my grief.”
Continue Learning
Please view the following additional resources to continue learning about some of the topics discussed in this resource. If you have any suggestions, concerns or general comments, feel free to contact me as well!
