References

Booth A, Scantlebury A, Hughes-Morley A Mental health training programmes for non-mental health trained professionals coming into contact with people with mental ill health: a systematic review of effectiveness. BMC Psychiatry. 2017; 17:(1) https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-017-1356-5

Clarke D, Usick R, Sanderson A, Giles-Smith L, Baker J. Emergency department staff attitudes towards mental health consumers: a literature review and thematic content analysis. Int J Ment Health Nurs. 2014; 23:(3)273-284 https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.12040

Elliott R, Brown P. Exploring the developmental need for a paramedic pathway to mental health. J Paramedic Pract. 2013; 5:(5)264-270 https://doi.org/10.12968/jpar.2013.5.5.264

Emond K, Furness S, Deacon-Crouch M. Undergraduate paramedic students' perception of mental health using a pre- and post-questionnaire. Australas J Paramedicine. 2015; 12:(5)1-5 https://doi.org/10.33151/ajp.12.5.240

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learning
student paramedic
mental health
placement

Undergraduate paramedics' understanding of mental health insight placements

02 October 2020
Features
02 October 2020
Volume 12 · Issue 10

Abstract

Aims:

Paramedics are often patients' first point of contact during mental health crises, and are increasingly responding to mental health emergencies. Paramedic training focuses predominantly on trauma and emergency physical healthcare rather than mental health difficulties. A UK-based pilot evaluation study aimed to find out whether providing mental health ‘insight’ placements for paramedic students in a local mental health trust would improve their understanding of patients with mental health issues, particularly from working alongside mental health practitioners.

Methods:

A pre- and post-experience questionnaire was used to elicit the students' understanding of mental health.

Conclusion:

The tentative conclusion is that the placement increased students' understanding of mental health services and mental health patients' needs, and they gained a greater understanding of mental health concepts. Being in direct contact with mental health colleagues in practice ensured that they could link mental health theory learned as part of their degree to their experience and gain insight into multiprofessional working.

The role of the paramedic in the UK has evolved over the past 10–15 years. Paramedics now practise as autonomous practitioners using complex problem-solving skills and make clinical decisions. This runs alongside an increase in responding to mental health emergency presentations in the community.

Paramedics are often patients' first point of contact during mental health crises (Shaban, 2006; Elliott, 2013; Rees et al, 2014; 2017) because emergency services are available 24/7 (Clarke et al, 2014). Accessing emergency services for mental healthcare now accounts for approximately 10–15% of patient contacts (Clarke et al 2014). Therefore, paramedic students need to gain insight into caring for and treating someone in mental distress and it is important that they experience working alongside mental health practitioners.

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Mental health
Evaluation
Practice placements
Multiprofessional working