With increasing prevalence, paramedics are commonly dispatched to pre-hospital settings where mental health and mental illness are essential considerations in paramedic practice and approaches to treatment. Mental Health and Mental Illness in Paramedic Practice is the first text of its kind – a resource specifically written by expert clinicians and academics solely for the Australian and New Zealand paramedic context. The text introduces fundamental concepts and theories in mental health and mental illness in the context of paramedic principles of care. It delves into topics such as person-centred mental healthcare; communication and the therapeutic relationship; and legal and ethical issues – all within the realm of paramedic practice. The textbook steps students through common patient presentations in the pre-hospital setting and offers practical guidance in applying appropriate approaches to treatment. Case studies accompanied by critical thinking questions are incorporated throughout to assist with application to practice Demonstrates relevance to real-life scenarios through consumer vignettes and paramedic stories Special considerations embedded in each chapter, including: cultural considerations; ethics and ethical dilemmas; inter-professional practice, application and considerations; and ongoing care / other modes of care Review questions included at the end of each chapter to ensure reflection on key topics and concepts Strong focus on evidence-based research and practice Core components of undergraduate paramedicine addressed An eBook included in all print purchases

Mental health conditions are becoming more prevalent in today’s society and it has been estimated that 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health issue at some point in their lives. The increase in mental health complaints has also affected the volume of calls to 999 in which paramedics are regularly called to address patients’ mental health concerns. The complexities and nuances within mental health means that many paramedics feel underprepared when managing patients who are experiencing mental distress. Mental Health Care in Paramedic Practice is the first guide written specifically for paramedics to support them in understanding a range of different mental health conditions which they may come across during their practice. Not only does the book provide key information on recognising and managing a range of conditions, but it also includes case studies written by paramedics with first-hand experience of managing mental health calls. It also includes a section on legislative changes and policy descriptions as well as interprofessional working. This book is essential for anyone wanting to better understand how to care for patients with mental health concerns within the prehospital setting, including both experienced and aspiring paramedics.

“A must read for all paramedics and pre-hospital clinicians" Gemma Howlett, Principal Lecturer in Paramedic Apprenticeships, University of Cumbria, UK "A unique and valuable book to enable paramedics to undertake the daily challenges of providing care and support for patients and service users experiencing mental health difficulties.” Clare Keenan, Lecturer in Paramedic Science BSc (Hons), University of Plymouth, UK “This is an essential book, written by credible and knowledgeable authors. Chris Matthews, Senior Lecturer in Paramedic Science – University of Brighton, UK and Critical Care Paramedic Team Leader – South East Coast Ambulance Service An Introduction to Mental Health for Paramedic Science explores how mental health problems impact on the individual in the context of emergency medicine, covering the critical areas that students and practitioners need to know, such as: •The key characteristics of mental health problems •How mental health problems relate to the assessment performed in the community •Referral pathways •Treatment following referral Taking key concepts of mental health, including person-centred care, as the framework Mental Health for Paramedic Science includes guidance on: •Multidisciplinary working •Principles and practical applications of legislation •Evidence based bio-medical approaches •Trauma informed care Written by experienced paramedic educators this new book is the go-to guide for students and practicing paramedics wanting to explore mental health treatments as encountered in paramedic settings. Joanne Augustus is the course leader and a senior lecturer for the Foundation Degree in Mental Health at the University of Worcester, UK. Yuet Wah Patrick is a senior lecturer in paramedic science at the University of Gloucester, UK. Paula Gardner is a senior lecturer in paramedic science at the University of Worcester, UK.

Mental Health in Emergency Care takes a practical, scenario-based approach to help students and recent graduates hone their knowledge and skills to address the mental health needs of people presenting to emergency care settings. Featuring typical presentations across community, pre-hospital and hospital contexts, the scenarios demonstrate how clinicians can identify underlying mental health issues that can often go undetected and contribute to poor health outcomes. Mental Health in Emergency Care provides a framework for thinking about mental health in emergency settings, and how to develop mental health knowledge and skills that can be applied in order to provide more holistic care to all patients. Emphasis on mental health core principles for practice - recovery, person-centered, trauma informed care, collaborative practice, cultural safety Focus on essential mental health nursing skills and the importance of mental health triage and assessment as part of a comprehensive approach 18 scenarios written for clinicians, by clinicians, based on typical presentations across community, pre-hospital and hospital contexts Red flags for possible mental health issues provide practical support Includes lived experience perspectives for in-depth understanding Provides relevant information on what to say and what to do in an emergency setting A focus on self-care within emergency care settings An eBook included with print purchase

Foundations for Paramedic Practice, Second Editionprovides an introduction to many of the subjects not traditionally taught in ambulance 'in-house' training, such as psychology and sociology. It addresses the theoretical elements of paramedic courses in higher education and provides clear links to practice. The second edition features four new chapters on caring for vulnerable adults, end of life issues, theories of decision making and the scope of the paramedic role. It also provides increased coverage of portfolio writing, submission to HPC, decision making and includes more case studies. Contributors Amanda Blaber, Vince Clarke, Alison Cork, Steve Cowland, John Donaghy, Rachael Donohoe, Bob Fellows, Ann French, Graham Harris, Mary Larkin, Linda Nelson, Marion Richardson, Paul Street and Jackie Whitnell.

Prehospital Behavioral Emergencies and Crisis Response was designed to complement Jones & Bartlett Learning's Continuing Education series. This resource educates readers on the crisis and behavioral health issues of patients in the prehospital environment. Separated into three parts, coverage includes: the acute behavioral crisis, chronic mental health issues, and prehospital response. Prehospital Behavioral Emergencies and Crisis Response simplifies various types of diagnosed mental disorders such as mood, personality, eating, and sleeping, as well as schizophrenia and psychosis. This is a great resource for continuing education courses and is also appropriate for any basic, intermediate, or paramedic prehospital provider course. Important Notice: The digital edition of this book is missing some of the images or content found in the physical edition.

Abstract : The introduction of legislation governing the management of mental illness in Queensland led to complaints from paramedics and their industrial association to the Commissioner of the Queensland Ambulance Service regarding the inadequacy of education and training to fulfil their new practice obligations. The industrial association asserted that their members were ill-prepared, insufficiently skilled, and unsupported professionally to make clinical judgements and decisions about mental illness in the pre-hospital emergency care setting. Furthermore, they raised concerns that their members were at significant risk of harm from patients with mental illness, and that they were vulnerable to litigation for actions of negligence and breaches of duty of care that were a direct result of the inadequacy of their education and training. These concerns, coupled with a lack of published literature that might address them, highlighted the need for a deeper understanding of how paramedics accomplish clinical judgement and decision-making of mental illness in the field, and the factors that influence this aspect of their work. Integral to the concerns were questions about the relationship between the formal expectations of paramedic practice{u2014}in the form of legislation and clinical policy{u2014}and their actual judgement practice in the field. At issue in this study was the preparedness of paramedics to recognise, assess, and manage mental illness in everyday practice and the sufficiency of education and training programs, clinical standards, policy, and legislation for ensuring quality practice and accountability in the field. To understand how paramedics accomplish clinical judgement and decision-making of mental illness in the Queensland pre-hospital emergency care setting and the factors that influence this aspect of their work, this thesis adopted a descriptive theoretical framework of judgement and decision-making (Bell, Raiffa, & Tversky, 1988a) and undertook an interpretive, naturalistic case study according to Stake (1995). In this study, the cases were paramedics, the context was the Queensland pre-hospital emergency care setting, and the issue was how they accomplished clinical judgement and decision-making of mental illness. The study of paramedic clinical judgement and decision-making of mental illness was conducted in two iterative and recursive phases.