The recent anniversary of the Manchester Arena bomb attack had many reflecting on the events of that night. This was especially true of the emergency services who responded to the incident. In this personal reflection, NWAS Commander, Derek Poland, reflects on the way the night unfolded, and the way he and others pulled together for Manchester
To commemorate the anniversary of the Manchester Arena attack, artist and illustrator, Myroslava Coates, of Myro Doodles, set up the 22 Bees Project, where artists drew the Manchester bee on the windows of businesses in return for donations to the Manchester Emergency Fund. As part of the JPP tribute to the emergency services, Myro created the following illustration honouring the paramedics and emergency personnel who responded to the attack.
In part 2 of the JPP's special tribute to emergency personnel in this month's issue, Alistair Quaile reveals the strength, vulnerability and brave lessons learned 1 year on from the Manchester Arena attack on 22 May 2017.
In this column, 3rd year student Eleanor Chapman reveals the emotional difficulties that can be found on placement, and the truth that sometimes the necessary support isn't there. She discusses the importance of reflection and of having an outlet where experiences can be shared openly
After losing a colleague to suicide last year, Sasha Johnston advocates for paramedic mental health. In this comment, she shares her personal experience of how being a paramedic has impacted her mental health, and how she has dealt with it. She also importantly shares her perspective about why, ‘it's OK not to be OK.’
Background:This article stemmed from a search for more understanding about how paramedics relate to urgent and primary care (U&PC).Methods:The current study is qualitative, involving interview with seven general practitioners (GPs) in Wirral, Merseyside. Their verbatim evidence was audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed.Findings:There were three superordinate themes established: variability of referrals; the value of referrals sometimes being overlooked; and the need for skills development to improve referrals.Conclusion:The paramedic skillset is essential for appropriate referrals as long as their limitations are considered by GPs, while future research should focus on how paramedic skill bases can evolve in the U&PC community.
As the National Health Service (NHS) celebrates its 70-year-anniversary this month, Douglas Chamberlain, founder of the first paramedic unit in Europe, looks back at the evolution of the paramedic since the NHS was founded in 1948.
The management of family during out-of-hospital cardiac arrests and death notification to the family of the deceased in the out-of-hospital setting are topics that are poorly evidenced. Two focus groups consisting of six participants in each were conducted, discussing the two subjects. The results suggest that paramedics prefer family not to be present in the room for a number of reasons and that they don't feel sufficiently trained by their paramedic courses in order to manage family during resuscitation or breaking bad news. The study highlighted a need for more research on both subjects.
Medical negligence insuranceThe cover is generally described as Medical Malpractice insurance—but can often be referred to as Medical Liability insurance, Medical Indemnity, Clinical Negligence cover or Professional Indemnity. Its overriding objective is to insure the health professional against claims arising from wrongful advice or negligent treatment.
Recent months have brought with them the 1-year anniversaries of several tragedies that hit the UK last year—from the Westminster attack to the Manchester Arena bombing (p. 300), and the London Bridge terror attack, to the Grenfell Tower Fire.
Three Key TakeawaysParamedics experience anxiety and discomfort when dealing with the paediatric patient—this book can act as a security blanket as it has more than enough information to build a paramedic's confidence in this areaThe intended audience for this book are clearly emergency department doctors; therefore, some of the explanations go far beyond what a paramedic needs to knowThis book provides an immense amount of background knowledge on paediatric conditions and could serve to increase awareness of what assessments may be conducted in hospital
In each issue, the paramedic education team at Edge Hill University focuses on the clinical skills carried out by paramedics on the frontlines, highlighting the importance of these skills and how to perform them. In this issue, Andrew Kirk discusses the administration of intramuscular injection in pre-hospital care in line with best practice.
OverviewParamedics and ambulance staff are frequently in contact with patients who have mental health diagnoses This may be the primary reason for contacting the emergency services (e.g. self-harm, crisis or suicide ideation) or it may be incidental to their primary clinical concern. Patients in mental health crisis can be challenging and demanding. Most paramedics will not have had specific guidance on identifying or understanding the features, aetiology and responses to treatment of patients with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder. Borderline personality disorder is associated with a high risk of self-harm, risk-taking behaviour and suicide. Building a rapport with patients is often crucial to paramedics achieving optimum patient care. There are features of borderline personality disorder that may make rapport-building more complex, and the establishment of trust harder for the clinician to achieve and maintain. There is potential for frustration and a lack of understanding to interfere with the successful delivery of person-centred care. In order to support patients with borderline personality disorder, ambulance staff need to be aware of the particular characteristics of this condition and the current best practice guidance.