Psychology for Paramedics

By Adam Bennett

Calls involving mental health crisis are becoming common place for paramedics. Most paramedics have dealt with mental health issues in the field and have been able to work their way through the call. Some calls turn out great while others go sideways. This book has been written to help you keep your calls from going sideways.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Adam Bennett
• Release date: Nov 8, 2012
• ISBN: 9780987870636

Book preview

978-0-9878706-3-6

INTRODUCTION

Calls involving mental health crisis are becoming common place for paramedics. Most paramedics have dealt with mental health issues in the field and have been able to work their way through the call. Some calls turn out great while others go sideways. This book has been written to help you keep your calls from going sideways.

As the health care system is over taxed, many mental health patients are treated as out patients. When there is a crisis it is the paramedics that are going to be called upon to diffuse the situation and get that patient to help. If a case worker or family member was able to deal with a compliant patient then they would have no need to call for you. Keep this in mind. The chances are that when you are called it is because the patient is not compliant.

It is important that as a paramedic you understand how mental health issues and personality disorders present themselves so that you can safely and effectively help your patients. Patients in emotional distress or those suffering from particular personality disorders can be unstable and potentially violent. Not every person in emotional distress or in a mental health crisis is dangerous so every paramedic needs to understand which patients are at the greatest risk for violence and how to effectively interact with them.

Assuming that every patient in emotional crisis is a threat can be just as dangerous that assuming every patient is safe. You must understand who is dangerous along with when and why they can become dangerous. You cannot safely effectively interact or communicate with someone if you are unjustly fearful for your safety nor can you go into a call blindly. This book is an introduction to some of the more common mental health emergencies that as a paramedic you may encounter on the road and some strategies to deal them.

PSYCHOSIS AND SCHIZOPHRENIA

PSYCHOSIS

Psychosis is a broad term that means that a person has