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Fear in the paramedic clinical environment

02 July 2019
Volume 11 · Issue 7

This article focuses on the physiological, emotional and behavioural response that is fear and considers how it impacts clinical practice. It may have some benefits; for example, the release of the stress hormone cortisol which can increase cognitive function and short-term memory improving information handling. Equally, it poses significant risks, such as loss of perspective, damage to clinician-patient rapport and information bias. The author considers how fear can affect the individual response to a threatening situation in the prehospital care environment and explores ways in which it can be managed.

The human brain has been described as an ‘anticipation machine’—making future predictions is its most important purpose for survival (Gilbert, 2006). Data from our past experiences, current state and environment are analysed to predict the future by calculating the odds of desired outcomes and forming contingency plans for avoiding or adapting to future adversity (Grupe and Nitschke, 2013).

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