Paramedic Mental Health

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The focus of this assignment is to look at and analyse the mental health and illness aspects of people in our community. Using a case study of a mental health presentation, explore the research and critical thinking related to the assessment and pre-hospital management of mental health patients. Exploring the pathophysiology, signs and symptoms of several mental health illness and critically evaluate the pre-hospital assessment and management and compare this to best paramedic practice.
Positive mental health has been defined as:
“a state of wellbeing in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his
…show more content…
self-harm, aggression, bizarre actions), emotions (e.g. distress, anger, worry, sadness); Thoughts (e.g. suicidal ideation, delusions); Physical (e.g. agitation, over-activity). One assessment tool that has been presented for use in this situation is the BATOMI. This looks at the behaviour, affect-behaviour-mood, thought and talk (Speech), orientation, memory, insight and intellect of the person. Although difficult to obtain any research around the use of this assessment tool, it appears to be a favoured approach to teach new paramedics. Mental State Exam (MSE), Snyderman & Rovner (2009) is a systematic appraisal of the appearance, behaviour, mental functioning and overall demeanor of a person. In some ways it reflects a "snapshot" of a person 's psychological functioning at a given point in …show more content…
In a mental health setting, stress refers to a person feeling that they are not able to deal with the situation with which they are faced (Mindful Employer 2011). A small amount of stress, often called pressure, can be helpful to increase motivation and production, and produce a feeling of achievement when a task is completed. However, extreme stress may impair a person’s decision making and their ability to carry out normal chores, and may even cause emotional or physical symptoms such as anger, despair, stiff muscles, or frequent headaches (Department of Labour and Occupational Safety and Health 2003). Excessive stress may also contribute to or worsen mental health problems such as anxiety or depression (Department of Labour and Occupational Safety and Health 2003; Mental Health Foundation

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